


Be My Queen

by starlitstories



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Cheating, F/F, Fluff, Heaven, Hell, It just happened, Light Smut, Modern Royalty, Multi, Violence, im sinful, more tags to come, no editing lol, please help me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 09:28:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 33,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8885626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlitstories/pseuds/starlitstories
Summary: Eliza gets sent down to hell and doesn’t know why because she’s a saint. Turns out the Universe wants to punish a homophobic James Reynolds, who is the ruler of the underworld,by sending all the gays there. They can travel between heaven and hell. It’s actually pretty chill. Eliza falls in love with Maria and Alex with John.





	1. i've seen you

**Author's Note:**

> Eliza gets sent down under (and not to Australia) and meets Alex. Eliza meets someone special too.

The last thing Eliza remembers is seeing her children gathered around her, crying. The weight of her eyes becomes too much as she takes her last breath. How she would miss them. How she couldn’t wait to see her Hamilton.

 

She opened her eyes rather quickly. She looked around and didn’t see any of her children or anything she recognized. She began wondering if someone kidnapped her. She stood up without effort which was something that never happened in her old age. Something was off. She looked down at her hands to see that the wrinkles she once had were no longer there. She rushed to the stream flowing by her and looked to see that her useful complexion was back. She didn’t have time to react before she heard a voice behind her.

 

“ Crazy right?” The voice said. She turned around so fast she got dizzy. She would recognize that voice anywhere. She looked at him with tears filling up her eyes.

 

“Alex!” She screamed. She couldn’t contain her excitement. Then it dawned on her. “Am I dead?” Alex looked around nervously as if not quite sure how to answer even though the answer was obvious.

“Yeah, I mean why else would I be here.”

 

“Could’ve been a dream.” She retorted. He pinched hard enough that she could feel it but light enough so it wouldn’t hurt.

 

“It’s not. Trust me,” he said. She brushed her arm and looked at him.

 

“So where are we?”

 

“We’re not in heaven,” he replied cautiously.

 

“What the-”

 

“Hell, yes that’s where we are.”

 

“But that’s impossible,” she said, “I’m basically a saint.”

 

“It’s not like that Eliza. You can still travel to heaven if you want but your home is down here. This place isn’t full of evil people, it’s just full of gay people.”

“ Why?”

 

“Because the guy who rules here, James, is a huge homophobe and in order to try and fix it, the universe surrounded him with gay people.”

 

“But that’s not fair to us, I mean what if I wanna go to Heaven? That’s where Angelica and Peggy are.”

 

“Like I’ve said, all of us can travel between Heaven and Hell, it’s just that our home is here.”

 

“Alright- hey how did you know that I was… you know?”

 

“Remember when we walked into that coffee shop and the really hot barista brushed your hand and you blushed crazy hard?” Eliza blushed at the memory, one she wanted to forget.

 

“Okay I guess that makes sense then.”

 

Just then, a huge bell rang out 6 times.

 

“Follow me” Alex said.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

“James and Maria are greeting the newcomers.”

 

Alex led Eliza into a huge opening in the middle of stores and houses. There a young man in a suit stood on a pedestal above the crowd waiting for everyone to crowd in. There was also a young woman dressed in red standing right next to him. Her brown curls fell naturally on her shoulders and she was by far the prettiest person Eliza had seen in her entire life. She couldn’t help but blush and Alex was right there to catch her.

 

“Yeah I know right?”

 

“What do you mean?” Eliza tried to play dumb, but she knew Alex would see right through her. He always had. 

 

“ Eliza...She’s James’ wife.” He had a somber look on his face. “There’s no way that’s going to happen. I mean she is gay but-”

 

“Wait what? She’s gay?”

 

“Well she’s here right? She was just a normal citizen until James picked her to be his queen. Of course she didn’t want to, but he made sure to keep her.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

He hesitated than said, “Look at her wrists.”

 

Eliza did since they were close enough to the front row to see. Her wrists were so bruised you could see the marks through the makeup she used to try and hide it. Eliza looked up at her face to see one on her cheek too. Then, she caught Maria’s eye. Maria look cool and composed but her eyes screamed something different. A dulled fire waiting to be reignited.

 

“ **Shit!** ” Eliza whisper-screamed to Alex while quickly looking away. Alex just gave her a knowing look.

 

“Relax Eliza, but don’t let James see that.” Eliza nodded and kept her head down for the rest of the speech. James droned on and on about the rules of his “great kingdom” but Eliza could hardly listen when she could feel Maria’s eyes burning through her skull. Eliza was beginning to nervously sweat when she heard James’ voice ring out.

 

“Thank you and I hope you have a hella good time.”

 

You could hear a pin drop. James laughed and turning to Maria placing a hand on her shoulder and she visibly flinched. Instead of screaming, she simply laughed nervously and hoped everyone assumed it was for the joke. Eliza couldn’t help but look at Maria again. Her brown eyes met Eliza’s black ones. Maria had such a strong pull on Eliza that she would have ran to her right there if she wasn’t stopped by Alex first.

 

“Come on,” he said grabbing her hand. “Let’s get out of here before you do something you regret.”

 

Her eyes lingered on Maria’s before abruptly turning away to follow Alex to where ever he was going.


	2. someone in a rush next to someone looking pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza has a new home
> 
> light market angst
> 
> Eliza has a new home 2.0

Eliza took in her surroundings while being dragged by Alex for approximately 30 minutes.

 

“So where are we going?” She finally asked.

 

“To get you settled in. There’s an open apartment right near mine.” Alex replied still looking ahead.

 

“I got here literally an hour ago.”

 

“Well you’re going to need somewhere to sleep right?”

 

“God, you really are non-stop aren’t you.”

 

“I try,” he winked back at her.

 

She chuckled to herself and wondered what her apartment would look like.

 

She also wondered what Maria was doing at that very moment. If she was with James. If she was safe.

  
  
  
  


“Well here it is,” he said.

 

Eliza looked around at the room. It was pale blue with white accents and minimal furniture. Her queen sized bed looked like the most comfy thing imaginable.

 

Christmas lights decorated her room and gave off a pleasant light. She hopped into her bed and let herself sink into it. Alex got in and layed down next to her. 

 

They both stayed there for a moment in comfortable silence before Alex finally broke it.

 

“How were the kids?”

 

Eliza sighed then responded, “I’d like to think they were fine. They didn’t talk to me much, mostly because I shut down.” She turned to him then said, “Alex you were my best friend and you left too quickly for me to understand why.”

 

“I know,” he said looking up at ceiling, “It was too soon for me too. I didn’t get to do everything I wanted to do. I didn’t have enough time.”

 

“No one has enough time. I just hope they’re okay now, I wish I could’ve been there for them.”

 

“Eliza, I’m sure you were the best mom they could’ve asked for.”

 

Eliza smiled at him and he smiled back. It was a picture perfect scene that felt so serene people might believe they were still in love. Which reminded Eliza of something.

 

“Hey Alex, are you okay with me hardcore crushing on Maria.”

 

“Hells ya, she’s like the cutest girl I’ve seen in awhile. I definitely approve. Besides it was “‘Till death do us apart’, and, well, we’re both pretty dead. You’re my best friend, I support you in everything.”

 

Eliza teared up at that.

 

“Thank you Alex. Really.”

 

“That’s what I’m here for.” He paused briefly then said, “You don’t think you and Maria will ever do the dirty on this bed do you.”

 

Eliza turned a bright shade of red before shoving him off the bed and then getting off herself.

 

“How should I take that?” Alex questioned.

 

“Get your own love life!” Eliza shouted back. She opened the fridge hoping to get some wine before seeing that it was completely empty. “Hey,” she yelled to Alex, “I’m gonna go get some food.” She made a mental list of what to get and rushed out of the door.

  
  


Eliza wandered down the streets of her new town, surprised how death could be so beautiful. She took in the air which shockingly smelled more fresh than the one up above. 

 

Everyone seemed so happy and they skipped everywhere without a care in the world. She wondered what it was that made living people so resentful and other things before finally arriving at the market. 

 

She didn’t really know where she was or how she got there or how she was going to get back but she got there okay so she figured she would go with the flow. The market place was so lively it looked like a scene right out of a Disney movie, and she was the princess.  

 

Suddenly, she saw a flash of red and her heart skipped a beat. No this couldn’t happen. Not right here in the middle of town with people watching. Where was Alex? He was 90% of her impulse control, without him who knows what would go down.  

 

Tons, of other people wore red, right? It couldn’t just be her. She was being silly. She needed to get herself together and buy what she needed and then get out of there. This could work if she just stuck to her plan--

 

“Hi.” And just like that, the plan was ruined. The way she spoke made her voice sound like music. Eliza could listen to it all day and never get bored. Her dark curls fell around her perfectly and the way the light caught her eyes made them seem even more magical.

 

“Um… Hi.” Eliza said slowly as if holding back so much more. “I’m --”

 

“Eliza, I know,” the girl cut her off. As soon as she saw Eliza’s face turn in confusion she decided to add to her statement. “James keeps track of all the newcomers and I saw you in the crowd and asked him for your name.”

 

“Oh,” said Eliza, failing to hide her blushing cheeks, “how nice of you. So what brings you down here today.”

 

“James sent me to get some oranges. They’re his favorite fruit, I’m allergic but he’s too busy so…” she looked around nervously as if someone were watching her. “ But I love him so it’s okay. I mean what’s a rash.?”

 

“ I could ask the same question about your bruises.” Eliza said. As soon as it came out of her mouth she regretted it.

 

Maria immediately rubbed her wrists to hide them from view.

 

“I’m fine. I just fell.” Her eyes motioned towards someone watching their conversation and Eliza got the message.

 

“Ahh I see. Well I hope you get better.”

 

“Thanks,” Maria said. “Me too.” She looked at Eliza’s empty basket. “What do you need?”

 

“Well I just need some food because I have nothing in my apartment so anything would be good. Oh and some wine.”

 

Maria laughed and picked up 2 bottles of wine and Eliza picked up some bread. As they both set it in the basket their hands brushed. A tingle went up Eliza’s spine and she felt dazed. Maria immediately retracted her hand and rubbed it, a nervous tick she seemed to have.

 

“Oh,” Eliza said sadly.

 

Maria grabbed Eliza’s hand. “No I wanted to touch your hand I just,” she drifted off and Eliza didn’t know where she was going with that. 

 

Instead of responding, Eliza made their fingers intertwine and just gazed into her eyes. They stayed there for a minute or so before Maria broke it off, looking around cautiously. 

 

“Um,” Eliza started, “Will you come with me to check out this food?”

 

Maria smiled and said, “of course.”

 

As Eliza was about to pay she felt her pockets and realized she didn't have any money whatsoever. 

 

“Umm…” Eliza blushed but before anything could come out of her mouth, Maria spoke.

 

“I’m guessing you don’t have any money since you just got here.”

 

“That would be accurate,” Eliza laughed nervously.

 

“I’ve got you covered.” Maria handed the cashier some cash then turned to Eliza. “You know, I would love to have you at the palace.”

 

“Ha, yeah as what? A maid?”

 

“No of course not, as one of my ladies.”

 

“As one of your what?” Eliza practically tripped over herself in disbelief.

 

“You know, one of the friends I have in the palace,” she looked nervous, “It gets kind of lonely.”

 

“Um, yeah! Yeah, I would love to thank you.”

 

“And maybe we can drink that wine I bought.”

 

“Yeah definitely,” Eliza said, still not believing that this was happening to her.

 

“And you’ll have rooms in the palace, of course-”

 

“Wait, I wouldn’t stay in my apartment?”

 

“Well, no. But it’s still yours I mean you could,” she rubbed her hands again, “ I just would want you to stay in the palace.”

 

“Oh,” Eliza looked down, “Yeah I guess I could do that.”

 

Maria lit up. “Oh wow, this is going to be amazing!”

 

“I just need to tell Alex first. Is that okay?”

 

“Yeah definitely I’ll just put all this stuff in your room for when you get back.”

 

“Hey Alex!” Eliza called out into his apartment.

 

“Yo what’s up?” Alex lazily called back.

 

“I’m moving into the palace.”

 

“Um… Will you be careful?”

 

“Yeah of course.”

 

“I’m serious Eliza,” He said, “Don’t fuck up.”

 

“Alright, I got it. Maria invited me.”

 

“Ok. Just, be careful.”

  
And with that Eliza walked out the door.

 

Then, Eliza walked into another door. The door of her new apartment. The one right down the hall from Maria’s.

  
Surprisingly, still pale blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Maria just asked a complete stranger to live down the hall from her but that’s okay because we all know they’re soulmates. Next chapter will probs introduce John and LAMS LAMS LAMS LAMS LAMS.
> 
> Also thx so much for the kudos and comments ily guys <3


	3. A winter's ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lams? Dancing?? Yes???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 2016 CAN GO DIE.

 

 

Eliza woke up to the sun shining through her sheer curtains and onto her face. It had been like this for a week but she still wasn’t used to such bliss.

 

She looked down at her covers and saw a letter and a pastel blue dress. It was a silk plunge dress with a dark blue ribbon tied around the waist and a slit for the leg. It was gorgeous.

 

_Can’t wait to see you in this tonight -M_

 

Tonight, tonight, what was happening tonight? She ran her hands through the silk. She had never seen anything like this before, it was so elegant and looked like it took forever to make. Like it had been waiting for her.

 

Someone knocked on the door breaking her out of her trance. She looked at him with relief. He had his guards’ uniform on and his curly hair was put up in a bun showing all his millions of freckles on his sun-kissed face.

 

“Ah John, I was admiring my dress.”

 

“Ha, Maria had it made specially for you, said you’d love it.”

 

“And I do, it’s the best dress I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

 

“Will you be wearing it this evening?”

 

“About that, do you know what’s happening this evening?”

 

John stared at her in bewilderment.

 

“Miss, it’s the ball. You’ve been helping plan it for days.”

 

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..” Eliza ran out of the door still in sweatpants as she remembered all that still needed to be done.

 

…

 

Eliza got down stairs to see that the floral arrangements were still being set-up which was a good thing since she didn’t want them to be old, but the seating arrangements still weren’t done which was something she needed to attend to.

 

“No, don’t put that there. No he needs to go there to get us more funds. No Alex is sitting by me.” As Eliza was commanding people around she felt a tap of her shoulder that sent sparks through her body.

 

She turned around and Maria’s face so close to her’s their noses were literally touching. If she just moved forwards half and inch she could finally...

 

“Maria what do you need?”

 

Eliza quickly turned around to face the seating chart trying to put some distance between her and Maria and to not let her see the heat rush up to her face.

 

She  hadn’t meant for it to come off as brash, but it did and Maria backed up a few steps and looked at the ground.

 

“Nothing I just wanted to see how everything was going.”

 

“It’s fine we’re almost done here.”

 

“Oh, alright then. I think James is calling me so I’m just gonna…”

 

“Ok I’ll talk to you-” Eliza turned around to see Maria halfway across the ballroom, “...later”

  


The ball was starting in an hour and Eliza was exhausted from people running around not knowing what they were doing, bringing everyone else down and her having to fix it.

 

She decided to go to her quarters and rest for 45 minutes, but stopped and hid behind a column and saw James leaving Maria’s room with a couple of guards. Eliza made herself smaller in order not to be seen by James when she heard him say, “God that bitch.”

 

She knew she had to get to Maria immediately and keep her company even if she didn’t want to be touched.

 

As soon as James turned the corner, Eliza bolted to Maria’s. She arrived at her door out of breath. She knocked a little harder than usual and the door opened as if it had been left ajar.

 

Maria looked scared and quickly turned around. Eliza shut the door and ran to her. She could see the bruise forming on her cheek.

 

“Maria?” Her eyes full of worry. “What happened?”

 

She stared straight ahead and said, “He didn’t like the dress I chose.”

 

Eliza led her to the bed and directed her to lay down.

 

“Lay here. Try and rest you have a little less than and hour.” She turned to walk out but then Maria grabbed her hand.

 

“Stay?”

 

Eliza smiled. “How could I say no?” She got into bed with her and soon enough they both fell asleep.

 

She was awoken to a knock and the door opening.

 

“Miss, oh Eliza.” It was John. His hair was out and he was wearing a less formal suit without a tie. “I just wanted to tell you that the ball officially starts in 10 minutes but there are already people down there.”

 

“Alright thanks John.” Eliza smiled her usual smile. “Oh and can you not tell anyone I was here.” There wasn’t any reason for her to feel ashamed, I mean they were just friends. They couldn’t be anything more.

 

Eliza woke Maria up and for a second, she looked at peace. Then the memories of that happened earlier returned and the distress returned. Eliza tried to smooth out the creases and then grabbed her hand and led her out of bed.

 

“So I don’t want you to panic but the ball is starting in 10 minutes and we need to get ready.”

 

Maria grabbed her dress and threw it on as Eliza was walking out of the door.

 

“Hey Eliza, could you help me with this?” She asked pointing at the zipper.

 

Eliza walked over to where Maria was standing and remembered Alex’s words.

 

“Don’t fuck up.” She kept repeating them in order to suppress whatever urges she felt. She zipped it all the way to her upper back and traced her finger the rest of the way.

 

“Is this the dress he didn’t want you to wear?” Eliza asked.

 

“Yes, but he wouldn’t hurt me in front of others.” She turned to Eliza. “Do you like it?”

 

The dressed hugged her in all the right places and dropped down at the legs. She wore so much red it made it impossible not to see her and want her.

 

“I’ve got to go.” Eliza said, quickly running out of the room and down the hall to get dressed herself.

  


Eliza sat at her table, bored as all the couples danced. That is until Alex walked it. She immediately took his arm and dragged him to the table.

 

“Oh my god this is so boring save me.”

 

“Didn’t you help plan this”

 

“Um not the point. And for the record I’m ashamed”

 

“Well, everyone seems to be enjoying it.”  
  
Eliza looked around. He was right, everyone but her. She looked at Maria, who was sitting at a separate table, longingly.

 

“Ok no.” Alex cut it. “We’re going dancing.”

 

They were dancing for a solid 3 minutes before Alex stopped abruptly.

 

“Um who is that?”

 

“Who?”

 

Alex nodded in the direction of the man.

 

“Oh you mean John?” She turned back to Alex. “Oh no.” She laughed loudly. “Alex, no. Really?”

 

“Shh hold my drink.” He said shoving his drink onto her. She just kept laughing as he approached Laurens.

 

“Hi Mr…”

 

“Laurens. John Laurens. Call me John though.”

 

“Okay John.” Alex said smirking. “I’m Alex. You know, these things are really boring without someone fun.”

 

“Isn’t that why you have you have your wife?”  


“Ah so you were watching me?” Alex teasingly questioned but actually wanted an answer. “Well she was my wife but she got here and we went our separate ways. I’m actually looking for a boyfriend right now.” John looked at him.

 

“Well you might be happy to know that we’re in the same boat. But you wouldn’t ask me out without at least dancing with me first?”

 

Alex put his hand to his chest and opened his mouth to feign disgust.

 

“Why I would never.” Then he stuck his hand out. “John Laurens, would you grant me this next dance.”

 

“I would be honored.” John said as he took his hand and followed him to the dance floor.

 

Alex learned 3 things from dancing with John:

1) Alex is not as good a dancer as he thought.

2) You can slow dance to literally any song.

3) It’s hard to keep up with someone when you keep staring at their eyes.

 

After what seemed like hours of dancing, Alex suggested that they get a drink.

 

“So” Alex started,  “Who do you know here?”

 

“James.” John responded cooly. Alex almost spit out his drink.

 

“That bastard?” He threw his hand over his mouth when he realized he had made a mistake. “Oh my god I didn’t mean that, well I did, but I mean-”

 

“No don’t worry, I hate him too. Who doesn’t hate him?” John cut him off. “I’m the head of the royal guard so I know James and Maria. And Eliza.”  
  
“How’s she doing?” Alex asked cautiously as if not to give anything away. John looked him in the eye. How he could wake up to those everyday.

 

“Yeah.” He said as if trying to convince himself. “She’s fine.”

 

John took a huge sip of his Pina Colada and got a little on his mouth.

 

“Oh, you got a little right… there.” Alex wiped it off with his napkin. When he put it down he noticed his face was remarkable closer.

 

John got even closer and whispered, “I believe this is the part where you kiss me.”

 

Alex felt a longing in him as John slowly moved back to meet his eyes.

 

“Oh really?” Alex said. He brushed John’s lips with his before fully moving back. “At least buy me dinner first.” He wrote his number on a napkin and left to go find Eliza.

 

“Woah.” Eliza said in shock. “Now I know how you got me.”

 

“I know.” Alex said, “I’m an amazing flirt.”

 

“And modest too.” Eliza chuckled with a tiny punch on the shoulder.

 

“So how’s the girl?”

 

Eliza glared at James intently. She knew she shouldn’t feel this jealous and angry, she wasn’t hers after all. Yet, when anyone else who wanted her touched her, she wanted to set them on fire. She wanted to feel all of her. She wanted to be satisfied.

 

“Not with me.” She dully replied.

 

“Not yet at least.”

 

“Maybe not ever.”

 

Alex looked at Eliza and saw how sad her eyes were. He wished she would smile and be happy but he knew that wouldn’t happen until she was with Maria.

  
“Well,” he said trying to be brave for both of them, “Now’s your chance, here she comes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I tried to make the Alex and John encounter pretty angsty but I really wanted them to get together so that didn’t last long. It was based off of a true experience so that was cool. Also sorry about the kinda cliffhanger. 
> 
> PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND KUDOS I LIVE FOR THAT OKAY BYE.


	4. Shall we dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more dancing??? i think so. and sadness.

Maria approached Eliza nervously. 

 

“Um, hey,” Maria said rubbing her hands. “I saw you sitting here and I was wondering if you maybe wanted to dance.” She looked and saw Alex analyzing her. “But if you’re too busy I could come back later.”

 

She turned to walk away but Eliza grabbed her arm. She stood up, looked her in the eyes and slowly walked towards her, closing the gap between them.

 

“I would love to dance.”

 

Maria blushed. “Great, I love this song.”

 

Eliza and Maria danced and gradually got closer and closer. James was watching out of the corner of his eye while talking to some very important people, meaning he couldn’t act no matter how much it was angering him. 

 

Eliza the thought of what he would do when they weren’t there, when she couldn’t be there, scared Eliza.

 

She tried to move back a little but Maria moved forward and put her hands on Eliza’s hips. They were flowing with the music and dancing like no one was watching. 

 

Eliza put her arms on Maria’s shoulders and brought herself closer. Maria buried her face in Eliza’s neck and Eliza sniffed Maria’s hair. It smelled of cinnamon and she ran her fingers through it.

 

Maria brought her face back up and their noses were touching. They were so close Eliza could practically feel their souls connecting. It felt otherworldly, like they could stay there forever and never get tired.

 

Maria being harshly pulled back broke the trance they were in. Eliza was brought back to reality and saw that Maria was being roughly pulled by James and he led her out of the ballroom. His nails were digging into Maria’s skin so deep that she started to bleed.

 

Eliza tried to chase after her but Alex caught her arm.

 

“Alex what the hell, let go.” She turned to him, anger in her eyes. They softened when she saw Alex sad ones.

 

“Eliza, you know you can’t go after her.”

 

Eliza was angry again.

 

“Yes I can and I will, let go now Alex.”

  
“Eliza you’re going to get hurt if you go after her.”

 

“So what?” She asked. “She needs me.”

 

“Eliza, no.”

 

“ **Alex, STOP!** ” She jerked her hand from his grip and ran after Maria. She knew it was stupid, but she also knew it was her fault that Maria might get hurt. She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t try and help.

 

She ran and saw that James was leading her into their room. Eliza briefly caught Maria’s eye before Maria was led from view.

 

She finally got to James and Maria’s room and saw him standing over a fallen Maria. She was holding her face and crying while looking at the floor.

 

“Hey.” Eliza said.

 

James turned around and saw a very angry Eliza. He looked like he didn’t care in the slightest.

 

“Eliza,” he said holding his now bruised hands, “What are you doing here.”

 

She hadn’t thought this far which was stupid of her. She only thought of going to find Maria and make sure she was safe, not about what she would say to James. She thought it was a good idea to tell him this.

 

“I came to make sure you didn’t hurt Maria anymore, not make small talk over her bleeding body.”

 

Maria looked up at her and pleaded with her eyes for her to leave. Eliza simply shook her head and looked up at James again. He was much closer now.

 

“Well, I can see how you thought that was a good idea.” He said, circling her, drawing her farther into the room and shutting the door. “You wanted to make sure no one touched your dear Maria. Well I’ve got new for you, she’s not yours, she’s mine and you need to leave.”

 

“Maria doesn’t belong to anyone, she’s not a piece of property.”

 

He grinned at her. “Get. Out. Now.” he said.

 

“Eliza, please-”

 

“ **_Shut up bitch, no one asked you to speak._ ** ”

 

Eliza was scared now but she couldn’t show it. She wanted to leave, but she knew she had to stay.

 

“Please,” Eliza said, trying to reason with James, “don’t speak to her like that. Maybe we should all just go our separate ways-”

 

Eliza was brutally knocked to the ground. It took her a second to realize that she had been slapped. Suddenly she felt a tear fall down to her cheek which was starting to feel swollen. The only thing she could do was gasp in shock. She brought her trembling hands to her face to wipe off the tear.

 

“Why-” she started.

 

“Let’s play a game,” he said, “every single time you speak, Maria gets hurt.”

 

“Sir, please-” She stopped at the sound of Maria’s grunts as she was kicked in the stomach.

“Stop it I-” Another kick, but to the side this time. Maria tried to stand up.

 

“ **Please stop-** ” Maria was slapped and she was on the floor again, silently crying.

 

Eliza decided it was best to shut up.

 

“Thank you, it’s about time you learned your place.”

 

Eliza stared down, her hair covering her face as she sobbed. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop the sounds from coming out. She heard the door slam and fell to the ground. Even though James had left, she was still afraid to talk. Everything that had just happened to Maria was Eliza’s fault and she didn’t know what to do. She felt so worthless.

 

She crawled to Maria

 

“Maria, I’m so sorry.”

 

Maria just turned further away from Eliza.

 

“I didn’t mean to - I had no idea he would - I feel so.” She was at a loss for words. She racked her mind for any possible words to say to fill the void.

 

“I’ll just go,” were the words she opted for. With that she left the room silently, still crying. 

 

When she got into the hallway she ran to her room and saw Alex waiting right outside. His eyes widened when he saw her and he immediately hugged her.

 

“What happened?” He asked, breaking away from the hug.

 

“I fucked up.” She said. 

  
She locked herself in her room and opened up her refrigerator. She saw she had enough food for a week, so that’s how long she was staying in there for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So that was full of pain, but I hoped you liked it!! See you next week.
> 
> ALSO SORRY IT WAS SO SHORT I JUST, IDK
> 
> BUT THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE KUDOS AND COMMENTS LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH <3 <3!!!


	5. helpless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smexy times ahead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nothing too explicit I hope. what are the degrees of smut?? someone please tell me.

Eliza had been hauled up in her room for almost a week now and she really underestimated how much she ate. She only had a day left before her entire food supply would be gone.

 

The bruise was healing nicely so she would be comfortable going out, except for she would have to see Maria. She couldn’t face her after what happened. She had hurt her too much. She could never look her in the eye again, not without crying.

 

Alex had come to her room several times only to be sent away. She was pushing away the people she needed most. How was Maria doing? If she came Eliza wouldn’t push her away. Would she ever come?

 

Eliza decided it was best if she went to go get food now so she wouldn’t wait until the last moment. She waited until 11:00 pm to go outside so she wouldn’t have to run into anyone. She opened the door slowly as if to not wake anyone up and crept out into the hallway.

 

She made her way down to the kitchen and got some mac & cheese, some water, some sprite, soup, bread, and lots of other food. As she was filling it up in her basket she heard the footsteps.

 

She hid behind the island in the middle of the kitchen and waited to see who was coming. She saw Maria with her hair up in a messy bun and a few strands falling out. Her bruises were healing and were almost completely gone.

 

Eliza tried to sneak out before Maria made her way to the refrigerator, which was right next to her. It was dark enough that she might get away with it. She took one step and the floorboards made a loud creak. Eliza wanted to disappear right then.

 

“Hello?” Maria called out into the dark. “Is anyone there?”

 

Eliza decided she wasn’t getting away with this and stood up from behind the island.

 

“Hey, it’s me.” She said looking down.

 

“Oh,” Maria said, shadows covering her expressions.

 

“Yeah I was just leaving you could stay here.”

Maria might have said something else but Eliza couldn’t hear it as she made her way to her room.

 

She sat there in the dark eating when she saw the clock turn 12:30am.  _ What kind of person eats at 12:30. Think of the weight gain. Think of how unhealthy this is.  _ Eliza decided in that moment she could care less. She was hungry, and she wasn’t willing to wait.

 

The clock turned to 1:00 am and Eliza heard a knock at the door. She opened it and was face to face with the last person she thought she’d see.

 

“Maria, what are you doing here?” Eliza asked genuinely confused.

 

“Well you left so quickly I didn’t know if you heard me.”

 

“What did you want to say?”

 

“That I forgive you,” she said letting herself in, “And I miss you.”

 

“I miss you too.” Eliza said.

 

“Do you want to have that wine I was promised when we first met?” Maria asked holding wine glasses.  _ Helpless _ Eliza thought as she led Maria to the couch. 

 

She sat down on the edge expecting Maria to sit on the opposite end, and was pleasantly surprised when she sat down right next to her and faced her.

 

“I hope you don’t mind if I also brought my favorite movie.” Maria said, holding up Love Actually.

 

“No of course not.” Eliza put the DVD in and played it on the TV.

 

As the movie went on, Maria slowly got closer to Eliza. She placed her hand on Eliza’s knee and slid it across her waist while intertwining their legs. They were now completely wrapped up in each other and slightly drunk, since neither of them drank much. 

 

When the movie ended, Eliza separated herself to turn it off.

 

“Are you going to go back to your room now?” Eliza asked

“Not unless you want me to.” Maria replied.

 

“I guess you’re staying then.”

 

They both climbed into the bed and Maria put her hands around Eliza’s hips.

 

“Can I tell you a secret?” Maria asked

 

“Of course.”

 

“I like you.” Eliza turned around at this and faced Maria.

 

“I’ve liked you since the moment I saw you,” Eliza replied.

 

“How much?” Maria asked

 

“So much.” Eliza said moving forwards.

 

Maria paused.

 

“Prove it.”

 

Eliza took Maria’s head in her hands and brought her close and kissed her. It started out innocently enough, but then Eliza decided she wanted more. She kissed Maria more passionately as Maria put her hands around Eliza’s waist and pulled her closer, as if she couldn’t get enough.

 

Eliza made her kisses more deep and brought her closer still. She could feel sparks flying within her and she saw the whole universe through Maria. She finally broke away.

 

“How was that?”

 

Maria got on top of her and kissed her more. This time Eliza moaned slightly. Maria moved and started kissing her neck, every kiss more pleasurable than the first. She made her way down the her neck and then her chest and stomach, leaving the kind of bruises you wanted to stay forever.

 

She finally got down to her most private of areas and looked up at Eliza for the ‘okay.’ She nodded and Maria continued. Her tongue was magical and made her feel things she didn’t even know was possible. She could feel the pressure building up inside her as she wanted Maria to stop to stop the pressure, but for her to keep going forever for it to be released..

 

“Don’t stop.” She whispered. 

 

Maria didn’t. She kept going, harder and faster until finally Eliza couldn’t take it anymore. She gripped the sheets and her mouth parted into an ‘O’ shape and she was about to let out a scream. Maria put her hands up to her mouth to cover the scream so they wouldn’t get caught as she kept her mouth moving.

 

Then she stopped and kissed her stomach and all the way up until she reached her mouth. She kissed her twice and Eliza flipped her around.

 

“Are you ready?” She asked. Maria whispered a breathy “yes” in Eliza’s ear that gave her chills.

 

She laid on top of Maria as she slowly moved her hands down. She finally reached her target and stuck two fingers inside of it. She began moving them in and out in a rhythmic pattern as Maria wrapped her legs around Eliza’s body. She stuck one more finger in and moved them quicker and rougher.

 

She could feel Maria’s body began.

 

“Stop,” she pleaded.

 

“Is that what you want?” Eliza asked.

 

Maria shook her head. “More.”

 

Eliza stuck one more finger in and did it even harder than before and curler her fingers. She could hear Maria’s pleasureable hums that started at her throat and went throughout her body. She could finally see Maria about to scream and she kissed her to  cover her mouth as Maria ran her nails up Eliza’s back to let out the tension and arched her back..

 

Eliza pulled her hands out when Maria stopped shaking and kissed her some more as Maria made slight moans and pulled her closer. 

 

Eliza finally pulled away and bit Maria’s bottom lip before finally letting it go. She fell onto the side of Maria and they both looked at each other blissfully. How they had wanted this moment forever. And it felt amazing once they had it.

  
  


“Sir you called?” A young blonde woman asked.

 

“Yes, I want you to do something for me.”

 

“Anything.”

 

He handed her a stack of money and turned to whisper in her ear.

 

“Can you do that for me?” He asked pulling away.

 

“But of course King James.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wasn't planning on writing smut but um yeah. it's barely smut though. light smut maybe?? idk very nervous about it.
> 
> ALSO PLZ GIVE ME KUDOS AND COMMENTS YOU'RE STARVING ME.


	6. just to watch them talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gossip + other things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mentions of psychological abuse + physical abuse. take care.
> 
> ALSO since I wanna keep going I'm posting 2 chapters in a day yay!

“Eliza!” Alex screamed walking through the front door of her apartment, “I DID IT!”

 

“You didn’t,” She said appearing out of a corner.

 

“I did!” He said falling on the couch, “And it was amazing.” He sat next to her. 

 

“Tell me everything,” She said.

 

He stared at her in utter confusion, “Um no I’m not telling you all about my sex life.”

 

“Ok fine just tell me what led up to it.”

 

“Ok,” he started, “while you were locked up in your room,” he glared at her, making her blush, “ I needed someone to come with me to Washington’s ball-”

 

“George is here?” Eliza interrupted.

 

“Yes, now do you want me to get on with this story?”

 

“Yeah sorry,” She made a hand gesture that said ‘continue’, “Go on monsieur.”

 

“Anyway, I needed a date because Kitty, you know my ex, was going to be there and I didn’t want to be alone with her and deal with the awkwardness, so then he came and after we both had like 2 drinks he kissed me and one thing led to another. And then again in the morning. And then-”

 

“Ok no stop lalalalalala,” Eliza said pacing around the room, hands covering her ears. Alex chuckled.

 

“You wanted to know.”

 

“Ah not that much.”

 

“Okay what about you and Maria?”

 

“We might have done...some things.”

 

“WHAT?” He said standing up, “Why didn’t you tell me. How long ago? What happened?”

 

“Around a week ago,” She said nonchalantly though she was crazy excited herself.

 

“I cannot believe it took you this long to tell me.” He said crossing his arms.

 

“Well I was going to,” She said pulling him back down to the couch, “But it slipped my mind and this is the first day I’ve been in my apartment for a long time.”

 

“Ok fine whatever,” he said, “Just tell me what happened.”

 

“She appeared at my door at like 3 am after an awkward run-in a few hours before. And then things just happened.”

 

He looked at her as if expecting more.

 

“It was amazing and it was magic, what more do you want?”

 

“Was James there?”

 

“I don’t know, I don’t think so.”

 

“Did he know? Because you could be putting her in even more danger?”

 

“I-I,” Eliza hadn’t thought this through, in fact she had only thought of herself. She felt so selfish- how could she forget about James. She only thought about what she wanted in that moment, not about what would happen. “I have to go,” She said grabbing her purse and running out the door.

 

She was speeding down roads, and passing people, and almost hit a few pedestrians on the way. She apologized of course, but she needed to get to the palace.

 

She ran in the doors and almost bumped into James.

 

“Ah Your Majesty,”

 

“Eliza.” He said before continuing on his way.

 

“Um wait sir,” she said. He paused and turned his head ever so slightly and Eliza could see a small smile playing at his lips.

 

“Yes Eliza,” he said turning all the way around now, “What is it?”

 

“Oh well I was just wondering where Maria is.”

 

“Of course. I sent her away a few hours ago.”

 

“Ah,” Eliza felt shivers go up her spine, “Ok well I’ll just go to my room then. Good evening sir.”

 

“Good evening Eliza.”

 

James opened the door to the cellar in the opposite wing of the palace.

 

“Maria how are you?”

 

It was a rhetorical question since she looked like life had left her at the bottom of the heap. Her dress, torn and covered in dirt that rivaled the dirt on the rest of her body. Her eyes look dead and dull, like she couldn’t take anymore.

 

“Fantastic,” he said, sitting down on her on her straw mat for a bed. “Well you might want to know that your “precious girlfriend” still hasn’t come looking for you and it’s been a week.

 

Maria wanted to believe that it wasn’t true, that she knew Eliza, but James was starting to break her will.

  
“I’m pretty sure she left, oh well,” he said, “Now you’re stuck with me again.” He shut the door and walked towards her with a grim smile on her face. You could hear her screams down the hallway, even with the closed door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> peep that Les Miserables reference.
> 
> Also my bad.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated.


	7. say no to this

Eliza was sleeping blissfully when she heard a knock at the door. She looked at the clock and saw it said 2:00 am. Who could possibly be up this early. She walked dazedly towards the door and what she saw was the last thing she would expect.

 

There was a woman with wavy blonde hair, Old Hollywood like, standing in front of her with minimal clothing.

 

“Um,” Eliza looked her over, “Can I help you?”

 

“That depends on what you can do for me.” She put three fingers on Eliza’s chest and pushed slightly to make Eliza move back. She walked in, shut the door, and locked it all while holding Eliza’s gaze. 

 

“Would you like some tea?” She asked trying to draw some attention away from the fact that the woman’s body was practically on her now. Not to mention she had forgotten to turn on the lights.

 

“Sure.” She responded in a low voice. 

 

“So where are you from?” Eliza asked trying to make casual conversation. As if anything about this situation was normal.

 

“In the palace, I’m actually returning. I still haven’t showered.”

 

“Oh.” Eliza said, knowing where this would lead. “You could use mine.”

 

“Thanks so much.” Her hand drifted to her shoulder but brushed her ntrsay. The girl sang in the shower, and had such a beautiful voice it put Eliza to sleep again.

 

When she woke the girl was standing over her, dripping wet, with only a towel to cover her.

 

“I’m tired.” She said. “And I have nowhere to sleep since this used to be my room.”

 

“I’m so sorry.” Eliza paused. “You could always sleep with me.”

 

“Thanks dear,” the blonde responding, tucking one of Eliza’s strands behind her ear. They both crept into the bed and the stranger’s body wrapped around Eliza’s. Their legs were intertwined with her hands around Eliza’s waist.

 

“I never did catch your name.”

 

“Olivia.” She said.

 

“Pretty,” Eliza responded staring into the darkness.

 

“Say it.”

 

“What?”

 

“Say my name.”   
  
“Olivia.”

 

“I like the way it sounds in your mouth.” One of her hands moved further down.

 

“ I didn’t realize I said it any special way.” Eliza started to panic now, but she couldn’t let Olivia know.

 

Her other hand moved further up. “Maybe it’s just you then.”

 

Eliza turned around quickly to face Olivia and stop the wandering hands.

 

“How long have you been here for?” Eliza asked trying to change the conversation

 

“Long enough to know who talks and who doesn’t. You know I’m a lady to Maria also. Though I can’t say I could do the things you did to her. Even though I’ve tried.”

 

“Tried what?” She asked even though she knew. She wanted to force the image out of her mind. Oliva simply winked at her.

 

“The unspeakable.” She grabbed one of Eliza’s hands and played with it. “We stopped when you came. That was when I left. But I’m back now.”

 

Suddenly Olivia was on top of her holding her hands down. “Would you like to try some of the stuff I learned?” Eliza could hear a chorus of people in her mind begging her to say no. To find the strength. She thought Maria and smiled.

 

Eliza quickly flipped Olivia off of her and stood up. She ran towards the lights and turned them on. She looked at Olivia and pointed her finger.

 

“You need to leave. Now. I don’t care where you go but you can’t stay here.”

 

“Oh what’s wrong?” She asked with a pout. “I was just having a little fun.”

 

“Well you can have a little fun with someone else. I couldn’t do that to Maria.”

 

“Shame.” She said. “Because the Maria I know wouldn’t hesitate.”

 

“Get. Out.  **Now!** ” Eliza slammed the door behind her and was fuming with rage. She couldn’t believe she had let it get that far. What was she thinking? It was late, she wasn’t in her right mind. What she needed was some sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I’m super proud of Eliza I love her so much. Also I just needed a random name for the hot lady so I gave her Olivia idk. Also she has blonde hair. Like the real Maria. Get it???
> 
> THANK THANK SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!


	8. have it all, lose it all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha. sorry?

Another knock at 3 am? What was with people and 3? Like to people ever sleep? Eliza opened the door for what would hopefully be the last time. 

 

She didn’t want to talk to anyone at 3 seeing as she was definitely not her best self and would literally rip someone to shreds. Who wanted to see her. 

 

Eliza opened the door and saw James; she expected nothing less.

 

“No offense, but what do you want James?”

 

“Only to see you dearest.” James said with a sly smile on his face. “How’ve you been.”

 

“Could be better. Could be asleep.”

 

“Oh of course. Why aren’t you ever asleep at this time? I know Olivia doesn’t knock very hard?”

 

“Ahh so you sent her?”

 

“No, just persuaded her. I’m surprised at you. How could you say no to her. I mean she’s perfect.”   
  
“I just happen to be a human with a good conscience.”

 

“Can’t say the same for Maria. She was always such a whore.”

 

“Take it back.” Eliza glared at him, eyes burning through his skin.

 

“Oh dearie, do you really want that. You know if you wanna talk about it, my door is always open.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Oh Maria didn’t tell you?” James said, smile getting bigger with every word. He threw an envelope on her table and walked towards the door. “Oh and by the way,” he said pausing before he left, “I did come here to gloat.”

 

He shut the door and Eliza could still hear his laugh echoing through the hallway. What the hell was James talking about. She took the envelope to her bed and opened it, with the worst thoughts coming through her mind.

 

No, she said to herself pushing them away. Maria wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. She loves you too much.

 

The moment she glanced at the photos he had given her, she knew she was wrong.

 

She gasped and felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes. There Maria was, half-naked on the bed in one picture with the girl crawling over her.

 

In another they were completely naked and Olivia was kissing Maria stomach making her mouth part.

 

In the last picture Olivia’s head was on the pillow and her hands were gripping the sheets. Maria’s head was between her legs and Olivia’s hands were tangled in Maria’s hair.

 

Eliza took the last picture and burned it. She saved the first two for when she would talk to Maria, but right now she needed to go home.

 

Alex and John were at the amusement park for their third date, mostly because John wanted to, but Alex wanted to go on the thrill rides.

 

“John you can’t get cotton candy now, or you’re gonna throw up when we go on the rollercoaster.”

 

“And what if I don’t want to go on the rollercoaster?”   
  


“Then why are we here?”   
  


“...For the merry-go-round?”

 

“No. We are going on the rollercoaster and you can eat that after because I don’t want you to throw up on me.”

 

“Fine,” John sighed.  “But I’m probably going to throw up anyway.”

“That’s fine let’s go.”

 

Alex grabbed John’s hand and brought him to “The Ring of Fire” which was just a roller coaster with tons of loops. 

 

“That looks really intense.” John said backing away.

 

“My dear Laurens,” Alex said with a smile on his face, “You wouldn’t happen to be  _ afraid _ of this would you?”

 

“No actually, I’m excited to go on something that can actually make me scream.”

 

“Oh honey, we both know that’s not true.” Alex said tickling John’s stomach.

 

The climbed into their seats and a person came around to make sure they were secure. Just then, a little girl climbed in her seat, 2 seats in front of theirs.

 

“See John, if a little girl can go on this ride, you can too.”

 

John looked at the little girl and all the color drained from his face.

 

“John,” Alex said, “John what’s wrong.”

 

That seemed to break John out of his daze.

 

“Um, nothing. I just want to get off this ride.”

 

“Well, it’s starting now. Are you going to be okay?”

 

John looked in the little girl’s direction one more time.

 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

 

The ride started and Alex was having a blast and screaming out of delight and John was quiet the entire time. When they saw the pictures of the ride they saw a smiling Alex and a blank John. Alex handed the pictures to John who was still looking out into the distance.

 

“Ok John, fess up, what’s wrong.” Alex said, crossing his arms.

 

“Nothing dearest.” John said.

 

“Then why are you--” Alex was cut off by a screaming woman.

 

“John? John is it really you? Oh my god.” The woman ran over and hugged John. Then she kissed him. Alex backed away, shocked.

 

“And who is this?” she asked.

 

John looked at a pale Alex then back at the woman. “Just a friend. What are you doing here I mean shouldn’t you be up there?”

 

Alex couldn’t bring himself to move, he just stood there shocked. He knew he should move before he got anymore hurt, but his body wouldn’t move.

 

“Well Francis here wanted to go to this park that all her friends have been talking about.” Just then a little girl ran up and hugged the woman. It was the same girl that John had saw on the ride. Francis ran to John and he picked her up and kissed her cheek. “What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in years.”

 

“Well I got a job.”

 

“That’s no excuse not to see your family. And you still haven’t introduced me to your friend.”

 

They all turned to Alex, still not yet able to move, but screaming internally at how domestic they all looked.

 

“Um this is Alex.” John put his hand on Alex’s shoulder and Alex flinched and glared at him. “Alex this is Martha.”

 

Alex didn’t even bother looking at Martha. He just turned and walked away.

 

“Alex, Alex wait, please.” He grabbed his shoulder and turned Alex towards him. Alex shrugged off his arm and stared at John up and down.

 

“Get away from me.”

 

“Please let me explain.”

 

“What, do you want to tell me that you have a wife and child? Because I already know that John. I already know. So what could possibly come out of your mouth that could make this any better?”

 

“We renewed our vows when I first got here. I left her after that. Yes, I’m still married, but I still want you.”

 

“So you want me. The other woman in this situation. Well too fucking bad John Laurens.” John flinched at the sound of his full name. “Go back to your damn wife.”

 

Alex walked off, not even bothering to look back. He could hear John call his name but he really did not care. He felt so used and stupid. He hated John, he hated him because he made Alex love him and then broke his heart. Alex could feel tears starting to fall. He got into his car and started sobbing.

 

He finally got himself together and drove to his house.

 

He got there and saw Eliza sitting in front of her door with puffy eyes and a tear stained face.

 

“What wrong with you?” He asked. “You look like you got your heart broken.”

 

She laughed at that and slowly turned to face him.

 

“I could say the same for you.”

 

“You wanna talk about it.”

 

“Your place or mine?”

 

They opted for Eliza’s place since Alex’s still had too many memories of him and John. They laid down in Eliza’s bed and cuddled, platonically of course.

 

“So what happened Betsey?”

 

“She cheated on me, and I found out from James, that smug bastard.” She said. “What about you?”

 

“Well I guess I was the mistress, but I didn’t know it, until his wife and child showed up to day. You should’ve seen them Liz, how disgustingly domestic they looked. I wanted to throw up.”

 

Eliza laughed. “We’re in some pretty fucked up situations.”

 

“That’s one way to put it.” Alex simply said.

 

“I thought I had it all.” Eliza said.

 

“Only to lose it all.” Alex finished, feeling the same thing.

 

Eliza got up and put on some Taylor Swift.

 

“Wanna dance it out?”

 

“Hells ya.”

 

And so they danced, and danced, and danced their blues away. It felt amazing. Then Eliza pulled some plates from the cabinet and gave 5 to Alex.

 

“Hulk smash?” She said. It was a thing she always said when she knew he needed to break something. This time she would join in. 

 

They threw plates at the wall and watched how easily they broke. Then they laughed when they were told to “shut up” by their neighbors. Then they drank some and Eliza realized she still needed to get her stuff.

 

“Will you come with me to get my stuff?”

 

“Of course dearest.” He flinched as he said this as it reminded him of John. “But we’re walking.” He said.

 

“We’re only slightly buzzed.” 

 

“Walking.”

 

“Fine. Let’s go.” She said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so PLEASE don’t hate Maria, I love her too much she’s still my smol bean, but Eliza and Alex deserve better. Also PLEASE PLEASE don’t hate John I love him too, they’re all my children. OKAY BYE see you next week.


	9. congratulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> she's gonna do it. aww noot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a double update so because this is a rEALLY short chapter.

Drunk Eliza and Drunk Alex made their way to the palace. Eliza was going to give Maria a piece of her mind. She couldn’t believe she had trusted her. She couldn’t believe that she thought that Maria could possibly love her enough.

 

She knocked hard on Maria’s door 3 times and told Alex to stay outside.

 

“Hey babe what’s-”

 

“Don’t ‘babe’ me. How could you?” She walked into Maria’s room and stared at the fireplace.

 

“Okay  _ Eliza _ , how could I what?” Maria asked 

 

Eliza turned to face Maria and threw the pictures at her. Partly because she couldn’t stick her hand out straight but mostly because she was angry.

 

Maria picked them off the ground and immediately paled.

 

“Where did you get these?” She asked angrily. As if she had any right to be angry.

 

“Yeah I know I don’t.” Oh crap Eliza said that out loud. Whatever, it needed to be said.

 

“Yeah so do you want to even try to explain?”

 

Maria started to say something but Eliza cut her off.

 

“Because what is seems like to me is that a pretty blonde came up to your room who decided she wanted you and you let her have you. Did you know how hard it was to hear it from  **_James_ ** and not from you? Was it because you didn’t have the balls to tell me?”

 

“Eliza--”

 

“And then you have the nerve to call me pet names and pretend like everything is fine? Did you think you could just shove this under the rug and hope that it went away? Everything is  **not** fine.”

 

“I’m so sorry, it was late, I wasn’t thinking straight, I-”

 

“Yeah I know what it was like. She tried to seduce me first. Did you know that? But I said no because,” Eliza paused she knew she had to go on, but she couldn’t without crying. So she let the tears spill. “Because I loved you too much. So much I could barely breathe. Did you ever even love me? Ever? Was I some kind of pity case?”

 

“Eliza-”

 

“No. You know how hard it is for me to trust. While I was sitting on my couch thinking of how we could be together forever, how this might have lasted, you were cheating on me. No, fuck you. You made me believe I was worth something and then took it all away.  I loved you so much it hurt. You and that Olivia can fuck off, or each other for all I care.”

  
  


“Loved?” Maria asked, crying too now. “What about now?”

 

“Now?” Eliza asked, mostly to herself. She snached the pictures from Maria’s hand along with another picture of them off her dresser and threw it into the fire.

 

“Now,” she turned to look at Maria, “I hope that you burn.”

 

She walked out and Alex walked in to block Maria from following Eliza out.

 

“Congratulations. She gave you nothing but love but that still wasn’t enough for you. What would be enough?”

 

Alex walked out to follow Eliza to her room.

 

“Help me pack this shit up.” She said packing all her clothes. He followed suit and within 10 minutes, everything was packed up. She didn’t have much at all. She saw a copy of the same picture of her and Maria that she threw into the flames and took it off of her dresser. 

 

She threw it at the brick with all her might and heard a satisfying shatter against the wall.

 

“Let’s go,” she said turning to Alex. 

 

They got to the hallway to see Maria standing there. She caught Eliza’s eye and tacitly begged her not to leave. Eliza turned and walked away. Leaving Maria behind. 

 

When she got to her apartment, she told Alex he could leave because she wanted to be alone. She dropped everything she had in her hands and fell to the ground. She cried and cried and cried, and when she was dehydrated from crying, she drank some wine and cried some more. 

 

Maria was her everything, and while she loved Alex, what she felt for Maria was different from anything she had felt for anyone else. She wanted to cry all her pain away but there was so much inside that she thought it better to shove it way down deep. 

 

She could barely breathe. She felt as if she was suffocating. She felt completely helpless. She knew what she had to do.

 

She knocked on Alex’s door and he opened immediately. She let herself in and sat on a couch and saw that he had been crying too, but because of John. She hated herself right then because she wasn’t there for him when he needed her most.

 

“It’s okay.” He said, reading her thoughts. “I’ll be fine. How are you?”

 

“I’ve been better.” She said. “I had an idea.”

 

“What is it?” He looked down at her already packed suitcase.

  
“Can we go uptown?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so uptown = heaven.
> 
> Also I was cheated on so this is kinda helping me get my anger out because I'm royally pissed.
> 
> And who’s gonna be uptown? Who knows? I do.


	10. it's quiet uptown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s quiet uptown. Poor Eliza. I want her to get better. And Alex? Well… he does?

Eliza was quiet the whole ride up. Alex tried to make conversation, but Eliza just stared out the window. Rethinking the events of the day before.

 

“You know, we’ve been in this car 6 hours, and you haven’t said one word, which is not like you,” Alex said, trying to get her to talk.

 

“Just thinking.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Eliza thought about it. She really did, because she didn’t know herself.

 

“I will be.”

 

And so they continued the drive in silence. Until they got there. Alex woke Eliza up and she saw the mansion and screamed with delight. They were here.

 

“How did you know they were here?” Eliza asked.

 

“Well, I’ve been here a few times.” Alex replied.

 

Eliza grabbed her suitcase, ran to the door and rang the bell.

 

A brown-skinned woman opened the door and looked shocked to see Eliza. Her curls were put up into an elegant bun and she wrapped Eliza into a huge hug.

 

“Angelica.” Eliza said melting into the hug.

 

“Eliza.” Angelica replied. A lighter woman appeared behind Angelica. Her hair was down and she was wearing a yellow sun dress.

 

“And Peggy!” Eliza screamed, going to hug her. Her heart panged because Peggy reminded her of Maria.

 

“Eliza, how we missed you.” Peggy said, “Where’ve you been?”

 

“In hell, both figuratively and literally.”

 

“So you’re-”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Alright cool. What happened?”

 

“ I don’t think I should be here.” Alex cut in before anything else happened.

 

“Alex!” Both Peggy and Angelica shouted at the same time. They hugged him and they all said their hellos before Alex said goodbye.

 

“Well,” Angelica said, “What happened?”   
  


Eliza walked in and closed the door behind her. “Well, it all started with this girl named Maria.”

  
  


“That little bitch!” Angelica screamed now pacing around the room. “She’s lucky I’m not there right now because when I see her I’m gonna-”

 

“Angelica, it’s fine. Besides, I don’t want you to hurt her anymore than she already is.” Eliza winced at the memory of how emotionally hurt Maria looked when Eliza left, but she would never hurt her physically.

 

“Well it sure seems like she hurt you.” Peggy said. “I’m proud of you Liz, you stood up for yourself.”

 

“Thanks Pegs.” Eliza said. “And she did hurt me. A lot. I can’t believe I even-”

 

Angelica and Peggy wrapped her up in a huge hug as Eliza started to cry. 

 

“I was so stupid.” Eliza said still crying. “Alex told me not to do anything and I didn’t listen because I’m stupid!”

 

“No honey you’re not stupid, don’t say that.” Angelica said patting Eliza’s hair. “You just got all wrapped up in a fucked up situation is all.”

 

“No,” Eliza said standing up and wiping her tears. “I knew what would happen and I did it anyway. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t see past her to what would happen. Angie I’m so lost.”

 

“Sweetie it’s not your fault. James set it up and Maria fell for it.”

 

“Because I wasn’t enough.”

 

“No, you’re more than enough. Maria just wasn’t ready. “

 

“Well if I was enough,” Eliza said, practically screaming now, “then why did she go to someone else.”

 

“Maybe to stop herself from feeling.” Peggy said. “Who knows why? But you can’t ask. You need to leave it alone. The only closure you need is to know that you were enough.”

 

Angelica walked into the kitchen, and came back out with 3 tubs of ice cream.

 

“Netflix and  **chill** ?” She said shaking the containers of ice cream. “Get it?” She said, “because ice cream is cold.”

 

Peggy and Eliza just stared at her.

 

“Tough crowd.” Angelica said while handing them the ice cream. They put on Parks and Rec and laughed until they couldn’t breathe. It was a perfect distraction. Angelica put her hand on Eliza’s in the middle of one of the shows.

 

“You’ll be okay. It’ll be fine.”

 

Eliza smiled. She was starting to feel like it might be.

 

Alex drove and drove trying to get John out of his mind. He was occasionally brought back to reality when a tear fell of his cheek that needed to be wiped.

 

“No,” he said to himself, “He doesn’t get to get me back. Not ever.”

Finally he got to his destination. He opened his phone and texted the owner of the house. Not long after, a tall man stood outside the house. Alex ran up and hugged him.

 

“Laf.” He said. “Thank god you’re here.”

 

“Oui mon petit lion.” He said, “Tell me everything that happened.”

 

“Alex, that’s terrible.” Lafayette said, “are you sure you’re okay.”

 

“No,” He said, “I’m not sure. It still doesn’t feel real. I feel like I’m haunted by him. And the worst part? He didn’t even saw sorry. Did he not see what was wrong with what happened I mean cuz it was obvious.” Alex choked up. “Maybe he didn’t think what we had was real enough.”

 

Laf didn’t know what to do or say, but he couldn’t stand seeing Alex like this.

 

“I’ll make you some pie.”

 

“Why pie?” Alex asked.

 

“Why not?” 

  
Alex couldn’t argue with that logic. They had pie and watched movies and cuddled.

 

“Feels like old times doesn’t it?” Alex asked.

 

“Not exactly.” Lafayette said. 

 

“Why aren’t you down under?” 

 

Laf paused. “I was,” he said, “Then I got bored and bought another house up here.”

 

“You should come back.”

 

“You would like that wouldn’t you?”

 

“Yeah,” Alex said tracing his fingers on Laf’s stomach. “I would.” He brought his fingers to Lafayette's face and brought him closer and kissed him.

 

“Alex, no,” he said standing up.

 

“Why not?” 

 

“Because you’re still heartbroken.”

 

“Laf, please.” Alex pleaded. “I need this.”

 

“But do you want it?” He asked. “You can’t go back, remember last time?”

 

Alex did. He was the reason Laf was now single.

 

“Yes,” he said. “I do.”

 

“But this is only for fun right? We’re still friends?”

 

“Of course.”

  
Lafayette led Alex to his bedroom to help him stop feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oui mon petit lion = yes my little lion
> 
> In case anyone didn’t get it, Lafayette and Alex are having implied sex. Also how the Schuyler sisters deal with gay Eliza is goals. LEAVE COMMENTS AND KUDOS TO SPREAD THE LOVE <3<3<3
> 
> See ya next week.


	11. only fools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jealousy??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter based off of Troye Sivan song because I feel like it kinda relates

Eliza knocked on Lafayette’s door. Alex had texted her where he was going to be staying for when they stayed uptown. Eliza wished she could stay longer than the week they were there for, but she knew she had to deal with her demons, and she missed her home. 

 

Alex opened the door looking sleepy and without a shirt.

 

“Really Alex?” Eliza scoffed as she walked in.

 

“What do you mean?” Alex asked with a grin on his face.

 

“You are unbelievable.” She said making her way through the house. “Where’s Lafayette?”

 

“Ah mon cherie. What are you doing here?” Lafayette said as he made his way down the stairs, putting on a shirt.

 

“I came to get Alex. What were both of you doing without shirts on?” Eliza asked.

 

“Je pense que tu déjà sais mon amour.”

 

“Ok Alex,” she said turning to him, “this is not how we were supposed to deal with this.”

 

“We have different ways of dealing. To each their own.”

 

“No this is not okay.” She said dragging Alex out of the house. “We need to go now.”

 

“But what about Lafayette?” Alex said with puppy dog eyes. “We can’t just leave him.”

 

“Okay you’re delirious but,” she paused, looking at Lafayette. “He can come, but only if he drives.”

 

“Aww but I wanted to cuddle.”

 

Eliza made a fake vomiting motion.

 

“You guys are disgusting, tone down the PDA.”

 

“You’re just jealous.”

 

Eliza stayed silent. She was jealous, so jealous. She missed Maria so much sometimes it felt like she was drowning in memories. She wished Maria had tried harder to keep her. Who knows what would have happened, but she wasn’t about to explain this to a half-sleeping Alex.

 

They piled into the car and Eliza sat in the back. Lafayette played some french tunes as they made the drive back.

  
  


They finally arrived home and all got out of the car. It was dark and Eliza looked at her watch to see the time. The clock red 11:30. Eliza walked to her apartment with fantasies of her bed clouding her thoughts. She didn’t even notice the lump in front of her door as she tripped over them and into her apartment. She looked back and saw piles of roses, some wilting, others fresh. 

 

Her eyes drifted to her door and saw that it was plastered with notes. Most said “I’m sorry” others said “Please come back.” or even “You were better” which amused Eliza the most.  _ She would know wouldn’t she _ . She got a trash bag and ripped all the notes off her door.  _ You’re not sorry. You would do it all again if you had a chance wouldn’t you? _ Eliza finally got all the notes off her door and just dropped the bag on the floor, not bothering to put it in its proper place. She collapsed into her bed and decided she was too tired to cry tonight. She let a single tear fall, rolled over, and fell asleep.

 

Eliza woke up and made some breakfast. She made crêpes and thought of Lafayette, which means she thought of Alex and wanted to go next door to see how he was doing. She opened the door and saw Maria putting another bouquet of red roses -how fitting- on Eliza’s door step. Eliza made an audible gasp and Maria looked up. Her eyes matched her dress, both red.   
  


“Eliza please I’m so sorry I wish--”

 

Eliza caught sight of the bag of notes next to the door. She picked it up and threw it at Maria. Maria caught it with a thud.

 

“Eliza,” Maria said, this time her voice cracked and Eliza winced. “Please.” Eliza shut the door and walked away without a single word. She would check on Alex later.

  
  


Alex walked to his apartment with Lafayette. 

 

“Alex,” Laf said pausing before the door,  “tu ne viens pas avec moi?”

 

“Non, je dois faire quelque chose.”

 

Lafayette looked at him skeptically, but went into the room anyway and fell asleep. Alex walked over to his home phone and checked his messages.

 

“You have 30 new messages.”  _ Wow _ Alex thought,  _ he filled it to the brink.  _ He played them one by one, all saying different variations of the same thing. “Alex I miss you.” “Alex she doesn’t mean anything.” “Alex please come see me.” “Alex I miss you.” One was just full of crying. Alex couldn’t take it anymore. He deleted all of them and went to his bed with Lafayette. He scooted in front of Laf and Lafayette unconsciously put his hand over Alex protectively. Just like that, he fell asleep.

 

Alex woke up and walked out to his kitchen to discover Lafayette making crêpes. He took in the delightful smells and thought he should check on Eliza. He barely made it halfway to the door before Laf’s voice stopped him.

 

“Alex, I think we should talk.”

 

He turned around and made his way back to the table and sat down in front of Laf. “About what?” He asked.

 

“I heard you listening to John’s messages last night.”

 

Alex felt his stomach drop.

 

“What of it.” He casually said.

 

“Alex,” Laf sighed. “I know you still love him.”

 

“What do you mean?” Alex laughed. “I don’t recall saying that I loved him.”

 

Laf looked at him with sad eyes. “Mon ami, I can tell, I can always tell.”

Alex took a bite of the crêpe.

 

“Doesn’t matter anymore.” He said, “It’s over now.”

 

“Tu es sûr?”

 

Alex walked up to Laf and kissed him.

 

“Yes, I’m sure.”

 

Laf smiled and Alex was happy that the answer seemed to satisfy him. He looked at the empty vase and decided that he wanted some flowers to fill it.

 

“Hey, I’m gonna go see if Eliza wants to go to the flower mart.” He called out to Laf.

 

“Cool,” Laf said, not entirely registering it because he was watching Parks and Rec.

 

Alex knocked on Eliza’s door and she hesitantly answered.

 

“Relax,” he said, “it’s just me.”

 

She opened the door fully.

 

“Hey Alex,” she said, trying to smile, “What’s up?”

 

“Want to go to the flower mart and get some fresh air?”

 

“More than anything.” She replied. “Give me a sec to change.”

 

It look her less than a minute to get changed. She emerged from the room in a pale blue sundress. 

 

“Let’s go.” She said, locking arms with him.

 

They made their way to the market and saw beautiful flowers. Suddenly, Eliza stopped and tugged at Alex’s sleeve.

 

“Eliza what’s wrong?” He turned to look where her eyes were glued and saw them.

 

“Holy shit,” Were the only words that Alex could muster because on the other side of the market stood Maria with Olivia and John.

 

“Maybe we should turn back.” Alex said already starting to. Eliza caught him.

  
“No,” she said, “if we want flowers, we’ll get flowers, they can’t run us out.” And so they continued shopping. 

 

Eliza couldn’t help but steal glances at Maria. She and Olivia were sharing a lot of PDA for someone who “missed her”. Eliza looked for what she promised herself would be the last time and caught Maria staring at her. She held her gaze, but there was nothing romantic about it. Eliza was practically shooting daggers at her. She continued to hold her gaze as she spoke to Alex.

 

“You got the flowers?” Eliza asked.

 

“Yup.” Alex replied not bothering to look at her, because he was giving Laurens looks that could kill.

 

“Great let’s go.” 

 

She finally broke her gaze and turned around to walk away. She heard someone shouting her name, but didn’t bother looking back.

 

“Eliza please.” Maria huffed behind her. 

 

Despite every fiber in her being screaming in protest, Eliza turned around and plastered a fake smile on her face.

 

“Maria how are you?” She asked. “And who is this?” Despite knowing the answer, she still wanted to hear Maria say it.

 

“Eliza don’t do this.”

 

“Do what Ms. Reynolds?” Maria flinched.

 

Olivia cut in.

 

“Sweetie here just wanted to make sure you were okay. She feels terrible but it seems like things are better now.”

 

_ Sweetie. _

 

“Well I’ve got everything I could ever need right here.” She grabbed Alex’s hand and stared Maria down before abruptly turning away.

 

“And how are you John?”

 

“Trying.” He said, looking at Alex who just looked down.

 

“Yes because you were the one who was hurt the most.” She said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I bet you and her majesty have a lot to talk about.”

 

They both shuffled awkwardly and Eliza just stood there.

 

“How are you Alex?”

 

Eliza could feel Alex shake and she squeezed his hand.

 

“I’m fine,” he lied, “Lafayette’s really been helping me.”

 

“Lafayette?”

 

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Alex stated as if they were old friends, “I’m dating Laf now.”

 

“Oh,” John said making his voice small, “Ok.”

 

“Yeah but we’ve really got to go now.” Eliza cut in.

 

They walked away as quickly as they could with it still looking normal.

 

“Alex,” Eliza said, “ You can’t cry until we’re out of view.”

 

“I know,” Alex said wiping away a tear, “I know.”

  
  


Eliza was in her apartment when heard the phone ring. She picked it up, not expecting Maria to be on the other line.   
  


“Hey,” the sultry voiced called.

 

Eliza’s breath hitched.

 

“What do you need Maria?”

 

“You.”

 

Eliza felt like she couldn’t breathe.

 

“Goodbye Maria.”

 

“But--” Eliza hung up. She got up, walked to her bed and sank into it. Today’s events were too tiring.

  
  


Alex and Laf were happily watching cartoons on the T.V. and eating popcorn when his door opened suddenly.

 

“Alex, Alex I’ve got to talk to you.” John said holding the spare key Alex had given him which he instantly regretted doing. He stopped when he saw Alex and Laf intertwined eating popcorn on the couch and laughing.

 

“ **Let. Go.** ” John whisper-screamed at Laf.

 

“Est-ce que ça c’est ton dernier copain?”

 

Alex nodded.

 

“Sir, I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave.”   
  
“No, I need to talk to Alex.” John slurred.

 

“No,” Lafayette insisted, “ you need to leave.”

 

“Alex please. Don’t do this.”

 

“Just leave John.” Alex said staring straight ahead.

 

“Not without you.”

 

“Unfortunate.” Alex said getting up and walking towards John. He pointed his finger to the hallway. “Leave John,” he repeated. “Or I’m calling the police.”

 

“I am the police.” John reminded him.

 

_ Shit _ , Alex said to himself.

 

“Yeah.” John said.

 

Or maybe out loud.

 

“Fine, what the hell do you want?”

 

“I just want to explain.”

 

“Fine,” Alex sighed, “You’ve got an hour.”

 

“Can we do it without your  _ boyfriend _ here?”

 

“Mon amour, s’il vous plaît?”

 

“Oui, je comprends. Une heure.” Lafayette said as he walked out.

 

Alex started the timer.

  
“Okay,” he said, “Go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Je pense que tu déjà sais mon amour. = I think you already know my love
> 
> Tu ne viens pas avec moi? = you’re not coming with me?
> 
> Non, je dois faire quelque chose. = No, I have to do something
> 
> Tu es sûr? = Are you sure?
> 
> Est-ce que ça c’est ton dernier copain? = Is this your last boyfriend?
> 
> Mon amour, s’il vous plaît? = My love, please?
> 
> Oui, je comprends. Une heure = Yes, I understand. One hour.
> 
> lots of french because gUESS WHO SPEAKS FRENCH?? C'EST MOI!
> 
> If you want some french tunes, here ya go:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUzGJx9fttQ  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJguEfMI_YM  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7-UcdcK4AA


	12. can we confer, sir?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> includes like 1 or 2 dialogue prompts

Eliza woke up to a slight rocking. She yawned and looked around and quickly realized she was not in her bed, that she was in fact in the passenger seat of a car.  _ What the hell _ she thought. She knew it was better to feign sleep than to scream so that’s what she did until they reached a gas station. 

 

The driver got out and Eliza got up and looked around for a weapon, anything she could use, to aid in her escape. She saw a metal water bottle on the floor and picked it up and hid it so she could knock them out later.

 

The driver got back in and started to drive. Eliza quickly turned around, aimed for the drivers head, and tried to knock them out. Much to her dismay, they caught it.

 

“Eliza what the hell?”

 

Eliza looked at her kidnapper and saw that it was none other than Maria Reynolds.

 

“Nice to see you’re finally awake.” The brown-haired beauty said.

 

“Are you  _ serious? _ ” Eliza shouted, “  **You kidnapped me.** ”

 

“Eh, I prefer to think of it of it as me getting us to talk.”

 

“Pull. Over.” Eliza said.

 

“Why?” Maria questioned.

 

“So I can get the fuck out of this car.”

 

Maria sped up.

 

“You can get out now if you want.”

 

Eliza was in disbelief, but she knew how to play this.

 

“Fine,” she said, unlocking the car door. She took one last look at Maria before adding, “Bye.” And she opened the door.

 

_ Screech _ . The car came to an abrupt stop and Eliza stepped out.

 

“ **WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!** ” Maria screamed as she got out, slamming the car door.

 

“ **I COULD ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION!** ” Eliza said motioning around at how alone they were. “Do you even know where we are?”

 

“Somewhere, I was just driving.”

 

“Why?” Eliza said angrily.

 

“Because I needed to talk to you.” Maria said calming down, even though Eliza was still riled up.”

 

“And this is how you do it? Are you  _ insane? _ How about coming to my house like a normal person. How about calling?”

 

“I tried that Eliza, you know I did and you ignored me.”

 

Eliza didn’t deny it. 

 

“Maybe because I didn’t want to talk to you”

 

“I know, I know,” Maria said moving towards her. Eliza moved back. “And I understand why, but,” she huffed, “You gotta let me explain.”

 

Eliza looked at Maria. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, and she looked desperate. She also looked loving and like how Eliza first saw her, she couldn’t let herself fall back in. She turned on her heel and started walking.

 

“What? Where are you going?” Maria asked, worry in her voice.

 

“Away from you.”

 

“Eliza, we’re in the middle of nowhere.” Eliza stopped. She was right. She had absolutely no way of getting home.

 

“Well what do you want me to do Maria?” She said, turning back around. “Do you want me to just forgive you and run back into your arms and fix what you broke?” She pointed at Maria. “You think this is easy for me!? It’s absolutely breaking me apart! I can’t do this anymore!” She broke down crying. Maria tried to comfort her, but Eliza pushed her away.

 

“Did you ever think that I didn’t want to talk to you because I didn’t want to fall for you again. That I needed to separate from you because I knew what it would do to me? And then you pull this shit. No, you need to take me home.” Eliza tried getting into the car but Maria locked the car.

 

“Not until you hear me out.”

 

“Maria give me the keys.”

 

“No.”

 

“Maria give me the--”

 

Maria shoved them into her bra. “Come and get them.”

 

Eliza stepped back and stood there glaring.

 

“Then you’re going to listen to me explain. She came into my room around 3 am because she had just gotten in from a long journey. She said she was cold so I made some tea for her. We were talking and she started telling me how she pitied me because you left the palace and said you were leaving me.” She sucked in a breath. “I’ve never been so heartbroken Eliza. I thought you had left me all alone and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I confided in her and she comforted me. Then I got angry at you and she said she knew the perfect way to help me and then…” She looked at Eliza who had a heartbroken expression. She continued, “then she led me to the bed and spread her legs and I just… I couldn’t say no.”

 

“You think you’re gonna get me back after that pathetic speech? After everything that happened?” Eliza shouted.

 

“Eliza please, I’m trying here.” Maria started to sob. “I can’t lose you.”

 

Maria looked like a mess and Eliza couldn’t help but feel bad. She ran to Maria and wrapped her in an embrace which Maria melted into.

 

“I-I don’t know if I forgive you yet but,” She looked at Maria, “I can try.”

 

Maria practically leaped on Eliza out of joy. Eliza held her by the waist as Maria pressed their lips together in a much anticipated kiss.

 

“I’m going to make out with you now,” She whispered.

 

“Okay fine,” Eliza said before thinking better of it. “But in the car.”

  
  


Alex looked at the clock and then at Laurens with impatience.

 

“Well?” he said, “Are you going to start?”

 

“I don’t know where to begin.”

 

“How about when you first got here?”

 

“Ok fine.” John said as he sat down in a chair. “I got here and saw a young girl who happened to be Maria, at that time she was Lewis, and I asked her where I could find my family. She said that if I didn’t see them when I had entered, they probably weren’t here yet and so I waited. And waited. And then I was called to the entrance to Heaven to meet Martha again. She died the same year are you, but I was up there for 2 years and never saw you come. My father made us renew our vows and consume the marriage. We had another child and named her Francis again. Then I left and became the head of the royal guard and years later, meet you.”

 

“And you never told me that you were married. Or had a kid.” 

 

“Because, I didn’t want to drive you off.”

 

“Well look at how well that worked for you.” Alex mumbles, but John heard him.

 

“I know and I’m sorry. I just wanted to be with you and I hadn’t seen them in years and never expected them to come back down.”

 

“But we were together for  _ months _ , and you never brought it up. What if I wanted to get married. Would you bring it up then?”

 

“What?”

 

“And you’re kid is so cute. And then you introduced me as your “friend” like okay invalidate my feelings.”

 

“Alex listen.” John pleaded.

 

“No it’s my turn to talk now.” Alex said interrupting him. “You guys made a picture perfect family and I ruined it, but you made me. And then you didn’t even acknowledge me. What was I to you? Just a game?”

 

“Alex no. It was ruined before you came. And you were everything. You were everything and more and I get that I ruined that but maybe-maybe we could try again because I really want to Alex. More than anything. I feel like I need you. I know I need you.”

 

“Well if you needed me you would’ve acted like it.” Alex said. “Goodbye John.” He tried to act like this wasn’t breaking him inside.

 

“I still have 40 minutes.” John spat back.

 

“I don’t want to sit here for 40 minutes and stare at you, it’s too hard.”

 

“ But I need to stay here and see you.”

 

“This is  **NOT ABOUT YOU JOHN!** ” Alex shouted. 

 

John recoiled and had a look of fear in his eyes. The air in the room got thick and Alex felt like he could no longer breathe, let alone think properly. Before he could think better of it, he ran over to John and kissed him. The kiss was full of sadness and longing and love. John was his breath of fresh air and Alex felt like he could finally breathe again.

 

“Does this mean you forgive me?” John said inbetween laughs.

 

Alex kissed him again. It was chaste but still just as meaningful.

 

“I’m not saying I don’t.”

  
They cuddled on the couch for the rest of the time, stuck in a state of eternal bliss, neither knowing what came next or caring. Pure innocence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT!!! COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK IS GONNA HAPPEN NEXT!!!! <3333


	13. don't worry baby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue is from Lana Del Rey’s new song Love. 
> 
> Fluff

Eliza woke up with her legs entangled with Maria’s. She wasn’t quite sure what happened after she forgave Maria, but all her clothes were still on so she obviously didn’t pressure her into anything. Eliza forgave her but she wasn’t for that, not yet. Last time it didn’t end up like she thought it would, last time she wasn’t enough. But for now, she had to get out of her clothes.

 

She sat up and got out of her bed and walked towards her closet, taking off her shirt. On the way she turned on her vintage record player and it played some songs from the 20’s. Eliza couldn’t explain why she was so drawn to it, but the sound it made was so beautiful she never wanted it to stop.

 

“What song is this, I’ve never heard it before?”

 

Eliza turned around startled but relaxed when she saw Maria. 

 

“Figures,” she chuckled, “seeing as it’s from the 20’s.”

 

“Wow, you truly have an old soul.” Maria said standing up to join Eliza. She wrapped her arms around her waist and placed her head on Eliza’s shoulders as they swayed softly with the warm wind blowing through Eliza’s windows.

 

“All this domestic-ness.” Eliza said breaking the comfortable silence. “It’s enough just to make you feel crazy.”

 

“Ah we wouldn’t want that.” Maria said taking her hand from Eliza’s waist. She shivered at the sudden lack of warmth.

 

“Do you have a shirt I could borrow?” Maria said taking off her clothes.

 

“I have one of Alex’s. It’s in the top drawer.” Eliza said turning around to put on her sweatpants, still looking for a tee-shirt.

 

“Does it fit okay?” Maria asked, forcing Eliza to turn around.

 

“It makes you look very emo,” Eliza said looking at the My Chemical Romance tee-shirt that went a little above her kneed, “but other than that it’s fine.”

 

“What do you mean ‘other than that’?” Maria scoffed. “That’s the best part.”

 

“Sure it is.” Eliza laughed as she turned back around.

 

Maria grabbed her by the waist and they both fell to the bed, giggling.

 

“Maria!” Eliza squealed as she began to tickle her. “Stop it, stOP IT,” she begged knowing full well Maria wasn’t going to stop.

 

“What did you say?” Maria asked innocently, “did you say you wanted  _ more _ ?”

 

By now Eliza was squirming on the bed gasping for air in between laughs.

 

“Uncle, uncle, mercy.” She managed.

 

“Okay fine.” Maria said flipping herself on top of Eliza, smiling. “I love you, you know. You’re enough. You’re everything.”

 

“It’s always enough to be young and in love.” Eliza smiled back. She wondered if this was what Olivia felt like. Her smile dropped.

 

“What’s wrong Eliza?” Maria asked, worry clear in her voice.

 

“Nothing, nothing.” She didn’t want to ruin this moment.

 

“Clearly something’s up.”

 

“Relax,” she said pushing Maria off her and grabbing a tee-shirt. She walked to the kitchen but stopped at the doorway and turned around. “Nothing’s wrong.”

 

“Eliza-”

 

Eliza closed the door.

 

She looked for something in the kitchen to make and decided on cereal since it was close to 12 and she was going to be eating soon anyway. She looked in her refrigerator for milk, and lo and behold, she had run out. Looks like she’ll be eating dry cereal. Or… she could text Alex and get some. She pulled out her phone to get her text ready when Maria walked in and sat on the counter.

 

“Are you upset?” Maria asked, looking for answers in Eliza’s eyes. She looked like she got them when Eliza responded.

 

“No, I’m not, I told you everything’s fine.” She said, walking off.

 

“Then talk to me.”

 

“We’re talking right now.”

 

“No,” Maria corrected, “right now we’re arguing.”

 

“If you left it alone we wouldn’t be.”

 

“Ahh, so there’s something to be left alone. And if I left whatever it was alone, it would just sulk and gather inside of you until one day it explodes.”

 

“Can you drop it?”

 

“No.” Maria said hopping off the counter and walking over to Eliza. She took her hands in her own and rubbed them.

 

“Are we okay?” She asked.

 

“I think so.” Eliza said, coming clean. “I’m trying to let it go but it keeps bugging me and festering inside of me.”

  
“Don’t worry, baby,” Maria comforted, “I know it’s enough to make you go crazy,” she repeated the early words that were said. She pulled her into a hug and let their hearts become one. They looked at each other and shared a tender kiss. It was everything they needed to become whole once again. It was everything they wanted. It was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't kill me for what comes next. LOVE YOU GUYS <33333


	14. the world turned upside down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh. that happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: homophobic slur. It’s bolded so you can skip. Also yeah here you go, more angst.  
> Props to you if you can catch the In The Heights references.

Eliza woke up abruptly, which is definitely not what she was expecting after falling asleep blissfully in Maria’s arms. At first, she saw black spots clouding her vision, then she blinked and the image started to clear up. She quickly realized that she was definitely not in her bed with the love of her life, but laying down in a cold, unwelcoming car, to whom it belonged, she didn’t know. 

 

_ This had better not be Maria again. This is a sick joke. _

 

She looked out the window and saw the streetlights blocking out the constellations from the night sky. They were moving at a good 80 mph, for how long was still unsure. No one else was on the road, but it was a highway which was weird, it must have been really late.

 

She moved to sit up and found that her legs were bonded with duct tape along with her hands. _ What the hell, Maria? _ She tried to call out, but no sound would come out. She felt fabric along her mouth and was now extremely confused, not wanting to believe what she thought could be true.

 

_ Unless Maria is into some kinky shit I don’t know about, I have no idea what’s happening. _

 

She used all her strength to sit all the way up and looked to the front of the car to read the dashboard.

 

_ 2:36 AM _ the clock read. She also noticed the GPS on leading her to an unknown place that she still had 1 hour until she would reach. There was a person driving and one in the passenger seat, but the dark shaded their faces, but they had they looked relatively muscular, and even if she could take one of them, she couldn’t take them both.

 

The figure in the driver seat looked at her through the rear-view mirror, eyes glinting in the moonlight. They cocked an eyebrow when they realized she was awake.

 

“Good morning, Princess” the figure sneered with a hint of an accent she couldn’t yet recognize.

 

“George,” the passenger figure scolded, “eyes on the road.”

 

_ George _ , Eliza thought, _ is that who you are? _

* * *

 

Maria woke up alone.

 

It’s happened before but she knew immediately that something was extremely wrong. She sat up and walked into the bathroom, hoping to see Eliza in there. She wasn’t.

 

“She’s probably getting a glass of water,” she thought hopefully.

 

She walked out into the kitchen area fully expecting to see Eliza struggling with the water dispenser on the fridge. No such luck. Considering who she was, she wouldn’t expect any less.

 

She travelled throughout the apartment searching every nook and cranny, finding nothing. She grabbed her phone and dialed Eliza’s number. Maria called 5 times and left 3 messages. It was then she decided she needed to go bigger. She grabbed the nearest coat, keys, sneakers, and ran out the door. Everyone was in the streets and going around like it was just another day. Well it was to them, she had just lost the love of her life.

 

She looked frantically through the streets for anyone who looked even slightly like Eliza, but no one came close. 

 

She grabbed the nearest person on the street, “Have you seen Eliza? Eliza Schuyler?”

 

“I’m sorry miss, I haven’t.” They said.

 

_ That’s okay _ , she thought,  _ there are other people. _

 

“Um excuse me, have you-”

 

The person brushed her off.

 

“Hi,” she started, “I’m looking for-”

 

It looks like no one wanted to talk to her today.

 

“I’m sorry but-”

 

“Is it possible that you’ve seen-”

“Have you heard of-”

 

She wanted to collapse. She was going insane.

 

“Has anyone seen Eliza? Eliza...” She screamed into the crowd of people who continued to either ignore her, or look at her like she was crazy, and then continue to ignore her.

 

She fell to the ground and started crying.

 

“Powerless…” she murmured to herself.

 

She looked up at the sky, warm tears flowing down her cheeks. “Eliza, where’d you go. I can’t find you!”

 

She turned her head and saw Alex walking and laughing with John and ran up to them.

 

“Alex, Alex help me!” She shouted and she grabbed his arms. She probably looked crazy.

 

“Maria, Maria, what’s wrong?” He asked, worry clear in his voice.

 

“ I can’t find her?” She whispered.

 

“Maria...Maria find who what are you talking about?”

 

She looked him dead in the eyes. “Eliza.” 

 

His eyes grew wide as he attempted to process her words. When it looked like it finally clicked, he grabbed him phone and dialed the one person who would know what to do.

 

“Angelica, we need your help.”

 

“What’s this about?” She asked, clearly annoyed. Alex didn’t let that faze him.

 

“Eliza,” he replied evenly. The other line was silent for what seemed like forever.

 

“I’ll be down in thirty minutes.”

 

“Angelica, it takes 3 hours to get down he-” the line cut off.

 

“ I guess now we wait.”

 

“WHAT?” Maria screamed, “I CAN’T JUST SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING WHEN ELIZA IS GOD KNOWS WHERE!” People started to stare.

 

“Maria calm down, you’re causing a scene. Let’s go back to your apartment and talk about this.”

 

She took a few breaths and let Alex and John guide her back to her apartment, since she couldn’t see through her tears.

 

“Do you think she’s okay?” Maria paced around the room.

 

“I wish I could say for sure, but I have no idea, Maria.” Alex replied, holding on the John’s hand for stability.

 

“Well what do you think hap-”

 

“What the  **_hell_ ** happened?” A new voice asked as they kicked down the door.

 

“Angelica, calm down.” Alex ran towards her to try and slow her rage.

 

“Do not  **_fucking_ ** tell me what to do, Alexander.”

 

Alex winced at the full use of his name by Angelica. He was quickly joined by John to comfort him. He made a mental note to remind him how much he loved him later.

 

Angelica’s eyes roamed the room and stopped on Maria. She had never felt such fear in her entire life. Angelica practically ran over to her like a lioness avenging her cub. Her arm was fully extended like she was about to choke Maria.

 

“You,” she hissed out.

 

“Angelica stop!” A new voice rang out and jumped in front of her. Angelica looked horrified at this new betrayal. “You know this isn’t what Eliza would have wanted.”

 

“Well Eliza isn’t here now is she?” She spat out. When the realization hit her she started to cry.

“Angelica,” Alex said cautiously, “Are you okay?”

 

“Don’t touch me.” She yelled before continuing to cry.

 

“It’s okay,” The youngest Schuyler addressed the group, “She’ll be fine. Right now we need to focus on Eliza.” She turned to Maria, “I’m Margarita Schuyler, call me Peggy, when did you last see Eliza?”

 

“Um, last night,” Maria replied, still shaken from the interaction with Angelica and the memories that came with it. She had to pull herself together for Eliza, no matter how hard it would be. “We came home together and fell asleep. I woke up this morning and she was gone. I looked everywhere and called her phone and got nothing.”

 

“Did you check the palace?” Angelica asked, wiping her eyes and composing herself.

 

“Well, no, I didn’t think that she-”

 

“Let’s go.” Angelica said cutting her off and walking out of the door. Everyone followed her with the tacit agreement that she was unofficially the leader. 

 

When they got to the palace, they asked everyone there if they had seen her come through, all saying the same thing, no. They looked in her room with no luck.

 

“What if…” Maria finally spoke up and everyone turned to look at her. “What if we looked in James’ room?” She absolutely hated herself for suggesting it. What if he was there, even worse, what if he wasn’t. Everyone was apparently thinking the same thing as a tense silence fell upon them. No one started to move so Maria took it upon herself to start them up, moving to the head of the group and leading them to James’ room. Everyone silently followed her.

 

They stopped at James’ door, and Maria put her ear against it to listen for movement. Dead silence. She slowly opened the door revealing a dark, empty room. She stepped in and everyone followed. On the table near his bed was a lit lantern with a note beside it. She slowly walked to it and picked it up.

 

_ Hey Maria honey, needed to take care of some things. Don’t bother looking for me, Love.  _

 

Maria dropped it on the ground and sucked in a breath. Everyone rushed over to her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

 

“Maria, what happened?” John asked.

 

She silently pointed to the note written by James. He read it and saw that the date was today. He passed it along the group as they all came to the same conclusion. James took Eliza. Maria was struggling to breathe and ran out of the room, into the hallway. She was fanning herself, trying to get more air but failing. Alex put his hand on her shoulder.

 

“Maria it’s okay. We’re going to find her.”

 

“And what if we don’t?” She asked, turning around. “You don’t know what he can do, you don’t know him like I do.”

 

“Exactly,” he said, “which is why we need to you help find him.”

 

She smiled softly, trying to give him hope where she had close to none.

 

The three others walked out, and Maria walked over to John.

 

“John, where’s the weapons room?”

 

“Maria, what are you going to do?”

 

“If we’re going to find her, we can’t go empty handed. You work here, where is it?”

 

“Follow me,” he said stone-faced.

 

He led them to a secret compartment and put the 4 digit code in, _ 1776, _ and it opened. The four walls were filled to the brim with weapons of varying sizes.

 

Maria grabbed a handgun and and AK-47. Peggy grabbed a grenade and a grapple gun. Angelica got 2 handguns, John grabbed a dagger and a sword, and Alex took a bow and arrow and a tranquilizer.

 

“Really,” Peggy said, “A bow and arrow?”

 

“Hey,” Alex said, “You never know, besides we have enough guns don’t you think?”

 

Peggy looked around and shrugged. “I guess,” she replied.

“Maria,” Angelica said turning to face her. “Are you ready?”

 

“Y-yeah I think so.”

 

“Good, because no one is allowed to make even a single slip-up. I thought I should ask since you tend to make, “slip-ups”.

 

She left Maria stunned and walked off.

 

“Shall we everyone?” She asked, still walking.

 

“We don’t even know where we’re going,” Alex said, pointing out the obvious.

 

“I might have a slight clue.” Maria said.

 

“Where?” John asked.

 

“Well, I know James like I know my own mind,” she said looking at Alex who smiled softly. “And if I’m right, he’s at a cabin in the mountains that he loved to go to. ‘Away from all the  **fags and dykes,** ’ he would always say. I haven’t been there in a few years, but I think I can still get there.”

 

“Lead the way, miss.” Peggy said and attempted to bow. 

 

Maria walked in front of her and started towards to woods.

 

“Woah,” Peggy said, “we’re going in the woods?”

 

“Yeah, that’s the quickest way, plus it’s away from any major roads.”

 

“But it’s almost night.” Alex said.

 

“Then I hope you brought a flashlight,” Maria replied

 

“And I hope you don’t get us lost.” Angelica retorted.

 

“And I hope we find Eliza.” John said to keep the group focused on the task at hand.

  
They set off in the woods, not fully knowing what to expect, but preparing for the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UMM SO WHAT NO!!! ALSO MORE ANGST NEXT CHAPTER I THINK IDK DON’T COUNT ON IT. BUT I LOVE YOU GUYS THANKS SOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND KUDOS THEY ARE MY LIFE FLOW<333333\. Also sorry this is so late in the day.


	15. Yo girl, keep it together.

Their group of five silently trudged through the dense forest going towards their destination, the only source of light being the dim glow on Peggy’s flashlight.

 

“How much longer until we get there?” Peggy asked impatiently, “I don’t know how much longer my flashlight can hold up.” As if a blessing from the gods, her flashlight promptly died.

 

“Well that’s just fantastic,” the disembodied voice of Angelica said.

 

“Ok, let’s just give it a minute or two for our eyes to adjust. The moon and stars are bright tonight after all.” John, ever the voice of reason, said.

 

“Maria,” Alex started, “can you still find the way?”

 

“Well, I mean Peggy’s flashlight wasn’t much better.”

 

“It’s not like anyone else brought one. You all should be thanking me.” Peggy said indignantly. 

 

“Maybe later, we should keep moving. We can thank you when we get there.” Maria said. Peggy huffed at that, but realized that this definitely was not about her.

 

_ Do we have a problem? You got a bone to pick? You’ve come so far, why now are you pulling on my- _

 

“Hey babe?” Alex answered his ringing phone. While he might have been  _ mortified _ at his choice for a ringtone, it got the job done seeing how quickly he answered his phone.

 

“Babe?” John questioned

 

“Yeah it’s just Lafayette, I’ll be right back,” Alex walked off.

 

“Yeah…” John whispered, “Lafayette.”

 

“Alex, what could possibly be SO important that it can’t wait?” Peggy whispered-yelled.

 

“Lafayette says that he has Olivia,” Maria blushed as she felt Angelica’s eyes on her. “He found her in the forest, crying with bruises asking for Maria. He wants to know where we are.”

 

“Well did you tell him?”

 

A beat of silence. “Maybe…”

 

A chorus of “Alex!” rang out.

 

“Chill out, it’s going to be for like 2 seconds. Besides I forgot to tell Monsieur Baguette to housesit for me. He’s going to be here in like 5 minutes.”

 

. . .

  
  


“Okay what happened, talk fast?” Maria said to Olivia, who was standing beside Laf. Olivia took a step forward.

 

“I know I’ve done some bad things in the past and that I’ve hurt people I truly didn’t want to. I thought that if I obeyed James he could somehow give me my happiness, but I realize that I’m the only one that can do that for myself. I told James that I was leaving to find you and earn your forgiveness, but when I started to walk away,” Olivia paused to try and gather herself. “When I tried to walk away he grabbed my arm and started hitting me. He said he would take care of everything himself and that I shouldn’t ever come back and then I fell unconscious.”

 

“I was walking and I came across her saying she was looking for Maria, I called Alex to see if he knew anything about that.” Laf stepped in.

 

“I was hoping I could join in on looking for him. I assume that’s what you’re doing at least.” Olivia added.

 

“Spot on.” Alex said.

 

“Well?” She asked nervously

 

“Is everyone okay with it?” Maria asked turning to the rest of them

“The more the merrier.” Alex said, without any hint of excitement in his voice.

 

“I don’t see why not?” John said.

 

“As long as she doesn’t try anything.” Peggy glared.

 

“Angelica?” Maria said

 

“We can’t just leave her, but I’m with Peggy.”

 

“Alright it’s settled then. Laf, I guess you can come too.”

 

“Chouette,” he said.

 

They started to walk, Olivia holding Maria’s hand for comfort.

 

. . .

 

“Hey, watch it!” 

 

“Non, je m’appelle Lafayette.”

 

“Ugh! Alex tell your french fry friend to stop pushing me.”

 

“It’s not my fault you don’t know french, you uncultured swine!”

 

“Uncul- Uncultured swine? Do you even know who you’re talking to? Give me one good reason not to-”

 

“GUYS!” Alex screamed. Angelica and Lafayette had been bickering back and forth like this for hours.  Constantly butting heads, but mostly elegantly considering how they were raised, but Alex knew that Angelica was about to let all pleasantries go into the wind and rip Laf’s head off. “Maybe we should all sleep, at least for like two hours.

 

“He’s right, we’ve been walking for hours and we’re all stressed and tired, we should just try and get a little of rest, save our energy and everything.” Maria agreed.

 

Murmurs of agreement travelled throughout the group as then all sat down and put their either their bags under their heads, or leaves. “Goodnight”s rang out and then it went silent as some started to get their well deserved sleep. Maria was not one of these people. She walked over and sat down near a tree and looked up at the stars. She silently prayed to the stars that Eliza was okay.

 

“Couldn’t sleep either I’m guessing?” Olivia asked, sitting next to Maria. She shifted away slightly.

 

“What gave it away?” She gave a lifeless chuckle.

 

“You should really sleep.” Olivia said, holding Maria hand.

 

“I wish I could, love will do that to you. Make you lose sleep.”

 

“Believe me, I know?”

 

Maria turned to face Olivia, though she couldn’t make out her face.

 

“Have you found someone?”

 

“You could say that I guess,” She said looking down.

 

“Spill, I’ve got nothing better to do.” Maria said.

 

“So there’s this girl, she’s really beautiful. Her voice sounds like a song and you can’t but get drawn in. Her body is soft all over and her hair smells like the sea.” She looked at Maria. “I really like you.”

 

She was taken aback.

 

“O-Olivia I,”

 

“In fact I think I love you.” She put her hand under Maria’s cheek and brought her face close. “ I know I love you.” She kissed Maria’s cheek, got up, and left Maria with her mouth open and brain not fully putting everything that just happened together. Now she was definitely drained and felt her eyelids closing, she would deal with whatever just happened in the morning.

 

Olivia was walking and blushing after her encounter with Maria. She ran into a figure and fell right on her butt.

 

“Watch it,” She said, still not knowing who she was talking to.

 

“No, you need to watch yourself.”

 

Olivia immediately recognized the voice as Angelica’s. She stood up so fast, her blood rushed to her head and she felt woozy. She felt a hand grab her shirt and pull her close.

 

“You might have everyone else here buying your ... transformation, but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past.” She pushed her away into a tree and walked up to her. “So let me tell you something, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Eliza, and you won't have to worry about your happiness anymore. Because I'll make sure your happiness ends ... right then and there. Permanently.” She turned her back and walked away from a sweating and slightly angry Olivia.

 

. . .

 

They were all sweating in the heat of the sun. They had only been up for an hour, but it was still hard.  Olivia was constantly trying to start a conversation with Maria, and failing because her mind was on someone else. Not to mention she had completely pushed last night out of her head. 

 

John was holding Alex’s right hand with Laf on his other. He wasn’t jealous. He  _ wasn’t _ . They were just friends. Friends with benefits so to speak. But that was all in the past. Now they were  _ just _ friends. Really good friends. That call each other babe and share kissed on the cheek and- no. Just friends. Whatever.

 

Maria couldn’t tell if she was crying of sweating from her eyes, because she always felt sad now. She barely registered the John, Laf, Alex thing, or Angelica’s eyes piercing through her skull, or Olivia’s hand in hers. It was all blurry. Eliza was the only thing she could focus on, the only clear thing in her mind.

 

. . .

_ Maria,  _ Eliza thought,  _ please come soon, I don’t know how much more I can take. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ME: It’s really hard writing all these John, Alex, Maria, Angelica, and Peggy’s dialogue when they’re in the same place together.  
> ME: You know what you should do?  
> ME: Add two more
> 
> I really couldn’t write this chapter. Like I was procrastinating so much so sorry if it sucks, idk what happened I just couldn’t. 
> 
> KUDOS AND COMMENTS FORCE ME TO WRITE PLZ THEY’RE MY POWER SOURCE 
> 
> Also as some of you might know, Angelica’s speech to Olivia is Katara’s speech to Zuko. i lOVE THAT SHOW.


	16. schulyer defeated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: VIOLENCE AND LOWKEY RAPE. If you’re not comfortable, please don’t read.  
> Also sorry kiddos.
> 
> Eliza's POV

A quick swipe and the darkness was lifted and she was greeted by blinding lights; she had to look away. She looked at the ground and saw a bag on the floor and figured it must have previously been on her head, she could only imagine how her hair looked, not that it really mattered.

 

“Morning sunshine,” one of them men in a british accent said. She looked up to face him. He was tall with blue eyes and blond hair, muscular but not ripped. The man next to him was shorter with brown hair and matching eyes. Both wearing black. “You know it’s rude not to respond.” The taller one said.

 

“It’s also rude to kidnap people,” she glared.

 

“Aww, what a feisty little thing, let’s start over,” he cocked his head and crouched down to where she was tied up in her chair, “I’m George, and this is Seabury,” he smiled and gestured to the man next to him, “at your service.”

 

“Well not  _ your _ service but-” Seabury started.

 

“Let’s move on from the pleasantries shall we?” George interrupted.

 

“Nothing about  _ this _ ,” she nodded her head gesturing at her position, “is pleasant.”

 

“Oh I find this to be quite enjoyable actually,” the tall brit retorted.

 

“Should we get onto the fun part?” Seabury asked.

 

“Oh of course, of course,” George said waving his hands around.

 

“I’m not giving you shit!” Eliza said turning her head away.

 

“Oh you’re playing a dangerous game,” said Seabury shaking his head, “I pray the king shows you his mercy.”

  
  


“This would be so much easier if you would just...cooperated Eliza, we don’t want to have to-”

Eliza promptly spit in his face, and he backed up, still shocked. When realized what had happened, he rushed to her chair and tilted it back so it was almost falling and got very close to her face. Eliza would be lying if she said her heart didn’t sped up at the thought of what he would do.

 

“Because I love you  _ dollface _ ,” the word was like venom on his tongue, “I’m gonna let that one go, but I won’t hesitate to kill your friends and family to remind you of it.” He let her chair go and she fell forward to fast she almost snapped her neck. George walked out of the room, but Seabury stayed.

 

“What happens next won’t be so bad,” he said. He swung his fist at her face and knocked her out cold save for the warm blood dripping down her nose.

 

. . . 

 

When she woke up, for a second she didn’t know where she was and it was beautiful, but that moment ended as quickly as it came. She felt a gag on her mouth and her eyes focused on the face in front of her, wiping blood from her nose, immediately recognizing James.

 

“I’m  _ so  _ sorry, dearest,” he said drawing out the ‘s’. “Sometimes Seabury gets carried away, the little fool. I do love him though,” he put his hand on his chest and did a fake pout. “Now then shall we continue,” he sat up.

 

Eliza made a small grunt.

 

“Oh,” he chuckled, “I don’t suppose you know what we’re doing.  _ Fun _ .” He clicked the remote in his hand and at once the room was filled with wall sized TVs with the same static on them. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now, and I must say, they did quite a good job setting this up, I mean look at the huge TVs, wait till you see what’s on them.”

 

He took a seat in the darkest corner of the room, pressed another button to show the first image of the video. Eliza immediately knew what it was, so she looked away.

 

“Oh, no, no, no, no,” he grinned at he made his way to the other side of the room. “I worked way to hard for this, sorry to ruin your progress, though. I know you said you were trying to let it go, but it kept bugging you and festering inside of you.” Her eyes flashed with recognition as she heard the words she had said earlier to Maria.

 

“Oh yes honey, I had your room bugged, I own this whole place, you forget.” He started laughing hysterically and gestured around the room, but meant the entirety here. “And while we may be in Hell, I have yet to make you go through it.” He tugged her ebony ponytail down so she was staring directly at the screen and pressed play. 

 

The affair video began and echoed throughout the room. It felt like an inescapable black hole that was suffocating her, but she refused to cry in front of her tormentor. 

 

“What do you think that was like? I mean the absolute magic and scandalousness of it. Must have been exciting. Do you think it was different with Olivia, more passionate, more… full of love.” He seethed.

 

Eliza couldn’t look away, every single wall, there they were, entangled in one another, lust glazed in their eyes. She was never looked at like that. James seemed to read her thoughts.

 

“I mean you were never treated like that. Look at how much she just wants her. She looks at her like Olivia is just, everything. It’s really quite beautiful, like true love almost.”

 

Eliza wants to tell him he’s wrong. She wants to spit in his face and tell him Olivia was nothing more than a blip in their relationship, but deep down, she knows he’s right, and that’s what kills her. 

 

“It’s truly a shame you weren’t enough. I mean just-- oh here comes my favorite part!” He clapped his hands.

 

Maria screamed. In pleasure of course, Olivia wouldn’t hurt Maria, she would never feel the excruciating pain she was going through right now. Tears welled up in her eyes when she saw her face look like it just went to paradise. Olivia was Maria’s paradise, Eliza was what was tying her down. She would never be enough, Maria was probably just staying with her because she felt so bad. She would probably go back to Olivia in an instant if she were given an opportunity.

 

Eliza gave out a gagged “stop” as tears started to fall. She felt numb and she stared at her feet.

 

“Oh honey, you’re not nearly done,” he pulled her head back up.

 

She wanted to scream out. But the Olivia in the video was already doing that for her. She had to stay strong. She would get through this, this will end. She looked to sky for help and only say James’ face staring at her. She felt more tears fall down as James started to grin.

 

“I think my work here is done. Do enjoy the cinematography, it’s quite beautiful. Later, Gator.” He walked out with the wave of his hand and shut the door behind him. Her head fell and she broke into full sobs racking her body. 

 

. . . 

“Maria are you okay?” Olivia questioned placing her hand on her shoulder.

 

_ Anything but. _ Maria thought. “Yeah, sure,” she said instead, leaning into the touch. Eliza was somewhere out there and god-knows-what is happening to her. For all Maria knows, she could be tied to a steak, slowly burning with Maria’s name on her lips. This was all her fault. Tears fell and she as she was hugged by Olivia, too bad she couldn’t feel anything.

 

. . . 

 

“Hey, sweetheart, hope you slept well last night.” This was a new voice, and what was with everyone calling her these names. Everyone but Maria, who wasn’t even coming for her. She was certain of that.

 

“Anyway, I slept well, actually, I was so excited I hardly slept at all! But I’m refreshed so everything worked out.”

 

She was confused for about and millisecond about what he could possibly be excited about, until she saw them. Knives, ranging in size...around five of them. Her eyes widened and she began to shake her head vigorously. 

 

“Oh sweetcakes,”  _ again with the names, _ “it won’t be that bad.” He pulled out the smallest knife. “Before we get intimate, let’s introduce ourselves, I’m Charles Lee.” He looked at her up and down and put his palm on his forehead. “Oh silly me. You can’t talk, but that’s okay, I know who you are.” He bent down so they were eye level. “You’re the whore of the kingdom, I mean getting with the  _ King’s _ wife is a whole new thing. But don’t worry, she’s a whore too, I mean cheating on 2 people, one is bad enough.” He was doubled over and cackling like he was the funniest person that’s ever existed. Eliza’s face matched her blood, bright red. She wanted nothing more than to walk over there, grab one of his knives, and stab him.

 

“Oh you look a little red in the face there, shall we,” he took one of his knives, “get rid of some of that blood now? It’s about time.” Eliza paled.

 

He got all in her face and her pupils shrunk out of fear. She gave out a silent prayer and hoped he couldn’t hear her heart beating. He raised a knife to her cheek and pressed in. She winced and he smiled.

 

“Kinky,” he whispered.

 

He pressed hard enough and dragged it across her skin so that blood started seeping out, and he licked it off her face while she whimpered softly. He did the same to the other, and she was trying her hardest not to fall apart again. He went to her feet and cut the top of them with long lines going all the way down, three on each side.

 

Then he went to calves and pulled out his “new toy” that was like a tattoo pen but without the ink. He went all the way up both calves onto her knee caps, she was screaming in pain and crying out for anyone, everyone to help her. Tears were streaming and there was no stopping them, she was sweating while the back of her neck was chilled.

 

Then he went to her thighs are carved out a deep heart. She was screaming “no, no, NO,” but to no avail as all her screams were covered by the gag. He started licking the blood again, but this time it was too close for comfort. She jerked her legs on instinct and he flinched.

 

“Oh come on, you’re not gonna spread out for me? Aren’t you the town  _ whore? _ ” 

 

She was too scared to say, or even think, anything. He tried to push her legs apart himself, but they were stuck together. Then, he stabbed her legs, and her grip perished. He took this opportunity to spread them.

 

“Relax, this way you can get to heaven, just need the right man to show you the way.” 

 

He slid his disgusting self into her body and ravished all the parts she wished he had never seen. With every thrust she could feel apart of herself fade away. The tears had stopped and were once again replaced with numbness. She could feel herself dissociating like it was her body’s way of protecting the mind from the horrible reality as she was slowly blacking out. 

 

. . . 

 

“Maria,” John sat next to her with a plate of food, “you have to eat something.” She just started straight ahead. She was in the mood. She didn’t know if she would ever be in the mood if they didn’t find Eliza.

 

. . . 

 

She woke up by herself in the darkness as the events of the previous day replayed in her mind, she must have still been in shock because she still couldn’t feel anything, she simply curled into herself and began slowly rocking back and forth. Her eyes adjusted and saw a stone wall circling her with a plate of food in the middle. There was dirt and sand everywhere and no way out, she let out a shaky sigh.

 

“GOOOOODDDMORNING,” a loud voice rang out, “well good for me, and can you even tell it’s morning?” The voice let out a soft laugh, “Well, anyway there’s your food until I decide to give you more, and who can say when that’ll be.” She looked down at the plate again, it was a loaf of bread a tiny bit larger than her hand. “And a little tip, don’t listen to the voices, they aren’t real,” the last part was whispered but you could hear a menacing smile behind it.

 

Day One: 

  * Has eaten ⅕ of the bread
  * Fine with silence for around half the day, started then hearing staticy noises.
  * Couldn’t feel anything



 

Day Two:

  * Has eaten ⅗ of the bread- she was too hungry
  * Staticy noises and then the sound of her body
  * Started scratching at skin; picking at hair



 

Day Three:

  * Skin is peeling everywhere
  * Sounds of her internal organs mixed with voices everywhere
  * Hasn’t eaten
  * Shaking uncontrollably
  * Crying
  * Rocking
  * Humming
  * Screaming
  * Tries banging head against stone.



 

“Woah, woah there,” George said pulling her away from the wall and turning her to face him. Her hair was a matted mess with dirt, sand, and blood mixed in, dried, self-inflicted blood on her forehead was mixing with the new blood and dirt. She’s still shaking and giggling maniacally.  The hallway was way too bright for someone who’s been locked in a dark room by herself for three days. Everything was blurry and she was led to another room with James in it.

 

“Hey darling,” he slurred each letter. She was shoved completely in and the door was locked behind her. 

 

He approached her as she slowly backed away.  She then ran past him but he grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall. He got very close and then backed away, turning around. He turned back around to face her and smacked her so hard she fell. She could vaguely feel him still hitting her, she was slowly blacking out again and everything got blurry again.

  
_ Please come soon, _ Eliza thought to Maria,  _  I don’t know how much more I can take. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so please don’t kill me. i really didn’t mean for Eliza to get raped but then i was like “torture scene doesn’t have enough.” and so what do i decide to fugging do? whAT DO I DECIDE TO FUGGING DO??? i rly hate myself. also this pained me to write, i can’t stand it when my babies are hurt but i lllooovvvveee angst soooo…. but she’ll be fine.
> 
> Comments and kudos are life blood I try to reply to all <333


	17. don't throw away your shot

“Maria, honey, duck down,” Olivia said tugging Maria’s hand down.

 

“Honey?” Angelica questioned. Maria simply shrugged, she wasn’t in the mood right now, especially when they were right in front of the cabin. They got there a little slower than Maria would like to admit, she really did try to rush them along, but they had basic needs such as food and sleep, all of which Maria couldn’t focus on.

 

“Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do,” John dragged all of them into a circle, “first we have to split into teams; Angelica and Peggy, Lafayette and Olivia, and Alex, Maria, and I. Angelica and Peggy will go in first and make sure the hallway is clear, Laf and Olivia will stay outside to make sure no one comes, then Alex, Maria, and I will rush in and take Eliza. There is no room for mistakes and we have to get out quickly.”

 

“Also no killing,” Laf added and was met by disbelieving stares. “Unless you absolutely have to.”

 

“Whatever,” Peggy started to leave the bushes where they we hiding, “let’s just go.”

 

“Wait!” Maria whisper-screamed and grabbed her arm, “James’ car isn’t out front.”

 

“Good that means no one will be there, now let’s go,” she brushed her off and began moving with Angelica catching up.

 

They crouched down low and quickly but quietly made their way. Once they made their way to the doorway, they waved and Laf and Olivia to come up behind them and have their backs. Peggy opened the door with a horror movie creak and she walked in, herself facing front and Angelica facing the back, which only locked arms to remind each other that the other was there. It was very quiet, a little too quiet for Angelica’s taste. She was about to turn around and mention it to Peggy when two men walked out of one of the rooms.

 

“Well well well, do we have visitors,” George smirked.

 

“It would seem so,” Seabury slid from behind him.

 

“Should we offer them tea, it’s only proper?”

 

“I’m more of a coffee person,” Angelica retorted, trying not to show her fear.

 

“I’d rather skip the pleasantries,” Seabury lunged for Peggy but got kicked in the side by Angelica, only to be pushed against the wall by George as he started to choke her. Her curly, dark brown hair fell into her eyes and she could barely see anything. She felt herself starting to fade until Peggy got punched in the stomach by Samuel, fell the ground and started to get kicked. Suddenly, her vision was crystal clear.  She kicked him in the stomach and he fell to the ground with a thud. She took the butt of her handgun and knocked him out. She saw Peggy spit blood and it unlocked something in her.

 

“ _ GET THE FUCK OFF MY SISTER! _ ”

 

He turned around to face her and Angelica hadn’t even realized when she had done until the echos of the shot rang through her head and she snapped back to reality. 

 

_ Holy shit, I think I killed him. _

 

She rushed over to Peggy and helped her stand up. They both turned to the doorway and saw Maria, Alex, and John standing at the end of the hall.

 

“We came as soon as we heard.” Alex rushed over to Peggy.

 

“Yeah, you hadn’t given us the signal and we were worried so when we heard the shot…” John trailed off.

 

“We assumed it was one of you,” Maria finished.

 

“Well no one hurts my sister likes that and gets away with it.” They all turned to face Seabury on the floor. Soft gasps flowed throughout the group as he slowly started to fade away.

 

“What the hell?” Alex said, expressing the thoughts of the group.

 

“I guess that’s what happens when you die here,” Maria said, “nice to know.”

 

“You guys want to get Eliza now?” Angelica asked them.

 

“Let’s go,” Alex said, grabbing Maria’s hand.

 

They made it down the rest of the way down the hall and got to the room on the other side. Maria held her breath as she swung the door open, gun out in front of her and froze. Alex sharply inhaled as he saw what Maria was looking at. There was an unconscious and bloody Eliza. She wanted to cry.

 

Alex ran out to untie her and bring her home when he was stopped by the one and only Charles Lee, who was now standing next to Eliza with a gun to her head.

 

“I wouldn’t take another step if I were you,” he said, not bothering to look at them.

 

“You bastard,” Maria snarled at him.

 

“I think you’ve got the wrong person,” he nodded off in Alex’s direction.

 

Alex looked ready to fight Lee until Maria intervened, “Alex, pick and choose your battles. Let it go.”

 

“Aww look at him,” Lee coddled, “indecisive from crisis to crisis. The best thing you can do for you dear Eliza here is turn and go back to your apartment.”

 

Alex was so close to lunging until Maria tugged his sleeve, silently saying,  _ don’t do a thing _ , and he looked down in defeat.

 

“And Eliza doesn’t need you anymore, Maria. She has other people to pleasure her, I mean I did so.”

 

Maria’s hand went to her gun in her holster. “What the hell did you do?”

 

“Do I really need to say it Maria?” He cocked his head and pouted. “Smart girl like you should have figured it out already. If she has my child, will you be sure to take care of them?” He smiled. He  _ fucking _ smiled. 

 

“You’re sick,” she scoffed, “you’re absolutely sick.” She drew her gun and pointed it and his head.

 

“Ah, ah, ah,” he tsked and cocked his gun, “I would think twice before doing anything.”

 

She slowly lowered her gun.

 

“That’s better, now-”

 

John was suddenly standing over Lee’s body with his dagger covered in blood.

 

“Stabbed him in the side, no killing right?” He said with a smile that was met with Maria’s.

 

“I’m not satisfied,” Alex said, took Maria’s handgun, and shot Lee’s crotch. 

 

“Let’s go,” John said, Eliza draped over his shoulder. They all ran out and placed Eliza behind the bushes. “Now what?”

 

“Hold on a sec,” Peggy ran towards the cabin, threw her grenade at it, and walked off from the explosion like she were in a Michael Bay movie. When the explosion settled she turned back and blew a kiss. “For Eliza,” she said and continued walking off. 

 

“Wow, anyway, what should we do now, I mean she is, how you say, unconscious.” Laf gestured to a sleeping Eliza.

 

“Wow, thanks Captain Obvious.” Maria scoffed. “Let’s just get a little further into the woods and wait until she wakes up.”

  
“Sounds good to me,” Alex agreed, standing up and leading the group further into the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look out for a double update later this week b/c I'm only publishing half of the chapter that I wanted to.


	18. it's you, it's you, it's all for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aww noot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> noot

Eliza felt herself wake up before she opened her eyes. Usually they would shoot up with her, but these past days she’s gotten accustomed to keeping her eyes closed and savoring the last bits of darkness and peace that she could. Today was different, her eyes were closed but instead of feeling the cold, hard ground, she felt a soft hand stroking her face. She still didn’t open her eyes until she felt something drip onto her face. Her eyes swung open to see the most beautiful thing, something she didn’t know if she would ever see again.

 

Maria. Her Maria.

 

“Hey babe,” Maria smiled. Eliza had forgotten how her voice sounded like it was full of honey, so sweet and thick. She didn’t know what to say so she let her actions speak for her. She shot up and hugged her in a tight embrace that lasted around 3 minutes.

 

“Wh-what happened? I thought I’d never see you again? How did you get me out? Where are w-”

 

“Eliza, relax,” Maria chuckled. “The minute I knew you weren’t in our- your- apartment, I searched the whole kingdom for you. I called Alex and we got Angelica and Peggy and John and we all searched for you. We ran in and Peggy kicked some serious ass and we’re in the middle of the woods. But you’ve been through a lot, maybe you should rest.”

 

“I think I’ve rested enough, besides I can’t sleep without-” she paused when she saw the look on Maria’s face. “I just can’t sleep.”

 

“Well, are you okay? What happened?” She reached out but Eliza flinched from her touch.

 

She tried to ignore how Maria’s face paled. She knew she was being selfish, Maria deserved to know.

 

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” she said, as if reading her mind. “But I’ll be here when you’re ready.” 

 

Eliza stared at her hands and felt Maria’s eyes piercing through her skin. She met her gaze and her eyes started to tear up, she was so lucky to have her in her life. She leaned in for a kiss, a long-awaited one, and felt their souls connecting again, and for a second everything was perfect.

 

///

 

_ I wonder what Maria’s up to,  _ Olivia thought, it seemed that all of her thoughts were occupied by her lately. She heard voices in the woods and figured Maria was talking to herself again. Or maybe she was praying to the sky to let Eliza be okay, her _ Eliza _ , not Olivia. She pushed through the bushes to go and comfort her with a huge smile thinking of what could be. Her hand was on the last set of branches before the clearing when Maria lay, well, Maria and Eliza, and she stopped dead in her tracks. 

 

_ No, _ she thought,  _ no, this can’t be happening. _ There was Maria and Eliza kissing like they’ve been doing it for so many lifetimes and she would be lying if she said she wouldn’t switch places with Eliza in a heartbeat. That she wouldn’t give up everything if even for a second to be her. She was pulled out of her shock by a tear, she wiped it off and speed walked away, arms folded into each other as she convinced herself that all she needed was herself. She forced herself not to notice how Maria’s voice was filled with glee when she called everyone over to talk to Eliza. She forced herself not to notice how when Angelica was running to meet her sister, their eyes met and for a split-second it looked like she understood. And it almost worked.

 

///

 

“Wow, there certainly are…. A lot of you…” Eliza drifted off. She looked at all the eager faces around her and while she was ecstatic to see them, all of them at once was a hell of a lot.

 

“Is this too much? Oh I knew it was too much, Angelica we should have come last I mean what if we overwhelm her and she faints. Is she even stable. Can she even stand? Can you stand? Are you okay? What happened? We really missed you. How-”

 

“Jesus Peggy, now you’re really overwhelming her.”

 

“I’m right here you know,” she feigned indignation, “and I could hardly catch a word of what you said Peggy.”

 

“Sorry I’m just… really happy to see you.” Peggy sighed.

 

“We all are,” Alex placed a hand on hers. He looked around, “Where’s Laf?”

 

Eliza saw the glare John sent and he blushed and looked away when he realized he had been caught with a knowing look from Eliza. 

 

“Um, he’s coming, he’s just back with…” Angelica paused.

 

Eliza was extremely confused, “With who?”

 

“Mon ami, rebonjour, tu m’as trop  manqué,” Laf went in for a strangling hug, blocking Eliza’s view from whoever came in after him.

 

“Shut up, Gilbert,” Alex gave him a playful shove.

 

“Baise-toi.”

 

“Encore? D’accord, quand?” Alex smiled.

 

“Okay, could we not? Again, I don’t speak croissant.” Angelica glared.

 

“Hey,” a voice called out. Eliza’s head whipped around. She recognized that voice, it was how all the videos started, the videos that played on a loop in her head and she couldn’t find the remote. He faced burned bright red, and Maria must’ve seen it because she immediately tried to grab her hand, but she dodged it.

 

“I just figured you just wanted some peace, so I came to take everyone away, not like that, you know what I m- sorry- you know- I’m just gonna,” she gestured vaguely behind and began walked back. Everyone just watched as she walked off, and then switched their gaze to Eliza, who was still red, just less so. 

 

“Maybe, you guys should go,” Peggy said apologetically.

 

“Okay, we’ll come back later,” John began to lead the rest of the group away. When everyone was out of sight, Eliza’s glare softened.

 

“Why is she here?” She asked

 

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know,” Angelica confessed.

 

“She came looking for Maria and she was so, just, out of it that we came to a group consensus to take her with us and not risk her hurting herself or someone else.” Peggy explained

 

“Of course she came looking for Maria, everyone wants her. Who wouldn’t?” Eliza looked away.

 

Angelica stroked her face, “She’s very dreamy, but she’s not the sun, you are.”

 

“As much as I wish that were true, she’s the light of my life,” she said still looking away.

 

“Be your own sunshine, don’t give anyone the opportunity to take it away,” Peggy said, looking towards Maria and Olivia, deep in conversation.

 

/// 

 

“Maria,” Eliza interrupted whatever was left of the conversation that was happening. “Can we talk?”

 

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Maria replied getting up. “What’s up?” They walked into a place of seclusion.

 

“ You’re  _ completely _ over her, right?” She wrung her hands.

 

“Olivia? Yeah totally, I was never into her. Why?” 

 

“I just,” her thoughts went back to the room, “I was just wondering is all, and you guys seem really close,” she chuckled softly.

 

“It's you, it's all for you. Everything I do. I tell you all the time” Maria intertwined their hands.

“You do,” she smiled, “I love you for it,” Maria blushed and Eliza saw it as the perfect

opportunity to place a kiss on her cheek. As she retracted, she could feel someone watching them, she looked around and saw nothing but trees.

 

“I love you too,” Maria said, completely oblivious to the situation. 

 

“You know, we should really get going before  _ people _ we realize I’m gone.” Eliza looked towards the ground. Maria knew she was speaking of James.

 

“Yeah,” she gave a soft smile, “let’s go.”

 

///

 

“Eliza?”

 

Eliza whipped around and saw Olivia, of course this time she wasn’t helpless, this time she had a gun pointed directly at her.

 

“Um, hi,” she said, controlling her breathing. “What do you need?”

 

“Oh, I think you know what I need,” she let out a heartless laugh, “I need you to stay away.”

 

“From Maria?  _ My _ girlfriend? You’re not in a position to be saying that, I am.” Eliza rebutted, momentarily forgetting the gun being held at her. Until, she was reminded.

 

She cocked the gun, “really? You’re not in a position to be getting smart with me. And don’t try and call for help, it’ll only end badly.”

 

“Olivia, please, don’t do this.”

 

“That’s Ms. Adams to you. Susanna Adams.”

 

“What the hell?” Eliza asked, clearly confused.

 

“Indeed, my father, John Adams, is apart of His Majesty’s cabinet, you were a threat so I was assigned to get rid of you, and you know the rest. Silly thing is, I actually like Maria, actually, I love her, more than you ever could.”

 

“You don’t know me,” Eliza glared.

 

Susanna simply laughed, “Wrong again. I know everything about you, we have a file on everyone in the kingdom. I know your habits, living situation, your thought process, all the people you left behind, and so much more. You can’t beat me.”

 

“Again, what do you want?” Eliza raised her hands in surrender.

 

“Break it off with Maria, break it off and never look back.”

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“Sure you can, and you’re going to unless you want James to know exactly where you are. I want to get on his good side again anyway,” she held up her phone.

 

“You wouldn’t.”

 

“Oh honey, yes I would. I won’t hesitate, bitch. Do we have a deal?”

 

Eliza sighed,  _ remember what Angelica said, she’s not the sun, you are. _

 

“Yes.”

 

A pause.

 

“Good,” she lowered her gun, “Oh and if any of this gets out, I’ll kill one, or both, of your sisters.”

 

Eliza didn’t say anything as Susanna walked away.

 

///

 

“Maria?” Eliza called out. Maria hopped over, so full of life and happiness, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt that way. She hugged her but Eliza didn’t hug back,  Susanna was staring her down. When she finally pulled away, Eliza saw the last glimpse of Maria happiness before it had to fade. It  _ had _ to. “I think we should break up.”

  
Maria paled and moved away as if she had been burned, which Eliza supposed she had. She was the sun. Maria stood staring before Eliza saw her eyes get glassy, turned away, and walked into the woods. Susanna smiled at Eliza and nodded her head in approval before running off to find Maria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, Olivia’s name going to Susanna was not DEFINITELY not planned. But I was rly done with using that name so much and it didn’t relate to anything so Susanna is John Adams’ daughter and her sibling are: Abigail, John Quincy, Charles, Thomas, and Elizabeth.  
> Also… i fREAKING LOVE HIDING REFERENCES IN MY FICS, IT’S LIKE A MAZE AND IT’S SO FUN OH MY GOD.
> 
> TRANSLATIONS:   
> Mon ami, rebonjour, tu m’as trop manqué-- my friend, i missed you too much or a lot.  
> Baise-toi-- eff you  
> Encore? D’accord, quand?-- Again? Okay, when?


	19. not an update, but coming soon

Hey guys, 

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been updating lately and I'm really sorry. 

I've been buried in work and then as I'm about to fall asleep I remember this. 

I'm trying to keep up on my school work and balance this but it hasn't exactly been working. I

WILL DEFINITELY CONTINUE, but it might take a little longer. It's a work in progress. 

Please stick with me, I promise I'll try my hardest to get a chapter out really soon.


	20. charming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hélène is from the Great Comet.
> 
> PLEASE ENJOY SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!!!!

It had been weeks since Eliza had returned home or talked to Maria. She didn’t go out much either, for fear of seeing Susanna and Maria doing things Eliza wished she could.  _ Fuck this,  _ Eliza thought.  _ I’ll just tell Maria the truth. _ The minute she thought it, her mind was bombarded with the thoughts of what would happen to her family. She couldn’t sacrifice them for her love, it wasn’t right.

 

“Elizaaaaaa,” Alex burst in her apartment door with his emergency key and a box in his hand. “I’m sick and tired of you sitting here moping. We’re going to have fun tonight.”

 

“Yeah sure…” Eliza said, staring at the TV.

 

“Oh my god. “ He dragged her off the couch. “When was the last time you took a shower?”

 

“I don’t know,” she said honestly, “maybe three or four days ago.”

 

“Okay, well get in the shower, I have a gift for you when you come out. Now go.” She shoved her into the bathroom. “Hurry up sweetheart.”

 

As the warm water hit her skin, she couldn’t help but think of what Maria was doing. It was pathetic and she knew it, it had been weeks and she needed to get over it. Alex was right, she needed to get out of the house and stop moping. She did that once, it was awful. Everyone in the town knew of her and Maria and how they ended and she could feel everyone secretly judging her, I mean Maria saved her life and she hadn’t waited a day before she broke up with her, it was awful.

 

“I disgust myself.” She whispered.

 

She stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around her body and steam surrounding her. 

 

“Okay what’s the gift.” She asked Alex.

 

Alex opened the box to reveal a strapless shimmering blue and black ball gown with a slit on the side and gorgeous heels to match. She stood there stunned.

 

“Wow…” Was all she could manage.

 

“ I know right?” He smiled at it. “Angelica picked it out, said you would love it. She’s always right isn’t she? Well, Lafayette is hosting a ball, you know how the french love their parties, and practically the entire kingdom is invited. If you don’t come with me, Angelica might slit my throat so we’re going to do your hair and get you ready okay? Okay.”

 

“The entire kingdom?”

 

Alex could sense the hesitation in her voice and sighed.

 

“She might not even be there. I haven’t seen her in a week and I’m always at the palace.”

 

“But what if-”

 

“No. We are going to this. You need to go to this. If she’s there we can leave, but you should show her you’re still strong.”

 

_ Right. Alex was right. He’s always right, that’s why he and Angelica get along. _

 

“Okay.” She said.

 

“Also, there’s a new girl, her name’s  Hélène and I hear she’s quite lovely.”

 

She sat down and looked at herself in the mirror.

 

“Maybe this party will do me some good.”

 

“See! I knew you’d come around.”

 

Eliza fixed her hair, half in a bun and half down around her shoulders, her makeup and put on her dress. When she walked out of the room she saw Alex staring at her.

 

“Now I remember why I married you.”

 

She hit his shoulder.

 

“Oh now you do? How long have I been here again, it should be a constant thing.” She joked.

 

“Yeah okay. But honestly, you look amazing.” He twirled her and she could feel herself blushing.

 

“Not so bad yourself.” She said after looking at the suit he had just put on.

 

“Oh aren’t you the little enchantress.” He led her to the door and stuck out his arm. “Shall we?”

 

They walked out to the street and it was getting pretty dark. 

 

“What time is this party again?”

 

“In about an hour. I texted Angelica a while ago, she should be picking us up soon with Peggy.

 

As if on cue, Angelica pulled up in her salmon colored jeep. 

 

“Hey hot stuff,” she said slyly.

 

“Are you catcalling me?” Eliza smiled.

 

“Who me? Never. That’s for the douchebags of the world. Are you calling me a douchebag Elizabeth?

 

“Who me? Never.” She mocked her sister. She got in the back of the car since Peggy called shotgun. Eliza had tried to use the fact that she was older, but it didn’t quite work seeing as nothing could stop Peggy from getting what she wanted.

 

They had arrived at the Lafayette’s house- mansion- and were greeted by loud music bursting through the mansion’s seams. She felt like she was walking into one of the parties thrown by Gatsby. Eliza almost fell over from the weight of it all. Sure she had grown up rich, but  _ rich _ was not the word to describe Lafayette, there were none.

 

“Ready?” Alex asked hooking their arms together.

 

“Always,” she said, though she felt anything but.

 

When she walked through the doors, a waiter popped up and offered her an appetizer, which she politely declining, she didn’t feel hungry at all. She did a quick scan of the room and didn’t see Maria anywhere which she couldn’t decide whether or not she were thankful or upset.

 

“Come on, let’s dance.” Alex said, dragging her to the dancefloor.

 

“Where’s John?”

 

“He couldn’t come,” he shrugged. “Now come on.”

 

And so they danced. And danced. And danced until they both were extremely tired and their feet aching. 

 

“Maybe we should take a break? Do a lap around the party?” Eliza suggested in between breaths.

 

“Good idea.”

 

They walked around until Alex caught sight of Lafayette.

 

“Stay here,” he told Eliza as he walked off to find his friend, but Eliza hardly listened to Alex so she went over to the bar and ordered a martini.

 

She sat there for a while, staring into her drink with a blank mind until someone tapped her on the shoulder.

 

“Hey lovely, is this seat taken?”

 

“Nope,” Eliza said and removed her purse from where she had placed it. She looked back to where Alex was and was wondering what he and Laf could possibly be talking about. They looked rather flirty and Eliza felt bad for John until she was pulled out of her thoughts by a lovely voice.

 

“So who do you know here?” The woman asked.

 

Eliza turned to face her first time and felt her heart stopped when she looked at the woman. She had the kind of face that could halt people in their tracks. Her curly brown hair that complemented her brown skin was put up in a bun with only a few strands that came down and framed her face. She had brownish hazel eyes that were striking and the most beautiful soft lips. She looked like an angel that accidentally landed in hell, and yet like she had a devilish side to her.

 

The woman cocked her head and Eliza realized she was staring.

 

“I’m sorry, what was your question?”

 

The woman laughed, and Eliza was lying if she didn’t think she could listen to the sound for the rest of her life.

 

“Well aren’t you quite the charmer? I asked who you knew here.”

 

“Oh um the host, Lafayette.”

 

“Ah, the great frenchman. I’ve heard many stories about him?”

 

“Yeah… he’s a very interesting man.” she managed.

 

“Not as interesting as you I’m sure,” she winked.

Eliza’s cheeks flushed and she looked toward the floor.

 

“You look pretty when you blush,” She said as she tucked a hair behind Eliza’s ear. 

 

“We seem to be getting pretty intimate for people who don’t know each other’s names.”

 

She stood up and stuck out her delicate hand.  “Hélène,” she said.

 

“Eliza.”

 

“What a lovely name. You wouldn’t happen to be Elizabeth Schuyler would you?”   
  


_ Shit. She knew. _ Eliza could lie to her but those eyes would see right through her.

 

“That would be me.”

 

“You haven’t been in the city lately.” Not where Eliza thought she was going with that. “It’s such a shame to bury pearls in the country.” She stroked the side of her face.

 

Eliza saw Peggy staring at her from across the room.

 

“As much as I’ve enjoyed this delightful conversation, someone seems to be calling my attention. I’ll be right back.” She started towards Peggy

 

“Don’t take too long or you might drive me mad.” Hélène called after her.

 

//

 

“You should stay away from her, Eliza.”  Peggy said getting straight to the point.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“She has a bit of a…” she trailed off, blushing. “She has a bit of a reputation.”

 

“Peggy,” Eliza was grinning wildly, “is there something you need to tell me?”

 

“No, no, not me,” she said waving her hands. “She keeps this uh, this book where she writes of her...encounters. Someone accidently published is and…” She rubbed her neck. Now it was Eliza’s turn to blush.

 

“Oh, uh, I see. Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” As she walked away, she couldn’t help but feel someone’s eyes on her.

 

She almost made it to the door when a new couple walked in. Maria and Susanna. Maria and Eliza locked eyes for a split second before the latter broke the contact and rushed back to 

Hélène.

 

“Well hello again, beautiful.” Hélène said with a drink in her hand.

 

“Since you’re new here-”

 

“I’ve been here a week or so.”

 

“I thought I should give you a tour.”

 

Hélène looked bewildered until she caught on.

 

“There’s only one place I’m interested in seeing.”

 

“Quite the flirtatious one aren’t you?”

 

“I try.”

 

Eliza led her out of the party as she felt Maria’s eyes on her, but she refused to look back.

 

//

 

Eliza woke up with brown curly hair in her face and almost thought it was _her_ until the woman turned around.

 

“Hello there my enchantress.”

 

“Hey there sweet stuff.” The events of last night came back to her, Eliza began to regret her actions, she shouldn’t have done that to Maria, she knew how it felt.

 

“What food have you?” She laid back on the bed.

 

“Okay Shakespeare,” she laughed, “ I can make us pancakes.” 

 

“There’s nothing I would rather right now.”

 

“Fantastic.” 

 

Eliza began making pancakes but somehow kept getting distracted by the beautiful woman sitting on her counter. 

 

“Like what you see?” Eliza scoffed.

 

“Ha, you wish,” she moved her face slightly to try and block Hélène from seeing her blush and tried to change the subject. “Where you from before you died?”

 

Hélène had a far off look plastered on her face. “Russia.”

 

“Do you miss it?” Eliza asked, already knowing the answer.

 

“Of course. But we live on. Well I don’t but you understand.”

 

“I’ve always wanted to go to Russia. Just travel the world in general actually.”

 

“Oh you would love Russia,” she said hopping off the counter. “Their dances are quite exotic, here let me show you.” She took Eliza’s hand in her’s and began waltzing and spinning her around. Her hands were on Eliza’s waist and Eliza had never felt closer to anyone.  When the dance ended Eliza pulled away and felt sick.

 

“Well that was… something.”

 

“We should run away now.”

 

“I’ve only known you two days,” Eliza said trying to bring reason into a situation where there was none. 

 

“We can get to learn more about each other. I’d say we’re pretty close already,” she said hinting at last night.

 

Eliza blushed and the continued to talk for hours about the places they could visit here. It had turned dark when Eliza had finally sent Hélène away so she could sleep.

 

When she opened the door, Peggy was there waiting, and Hélène ran out.

 

“Oh, Peggy, you’re back.”

 

“Yeah, surprised?”

 

“Not entirely,” she said letting her in. When she was inside, Peggy handed Eliza a letter.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“A letter from her royal highness.”

 

Eliza ripped open the letter and began reading. It was asking here to come back to the palace and asking them to talk.

 

“I don’t want this.” Eliza said throwing the letter on the ground.

 

“Oh, and you want this?” She said, gesturing at the maps with marked places laid out on the ground.

 

“No. Yes? Maybe. I don’t know!” Eliza said, pacing around the room. 

 

“Are you refusing Maria?” Peggy asked

 

“I’ve never felt like this before.” Eliza said, dodging the question.

 

“Really?!” Peggy said bewildered. “You’ve known her two days, Eliza you’re joking.”

 

“Am I?” She fell back onto her bed. “You don’t know what love feels like Peggy.”

 

“Clearly you don’t either if you think that’s what this is.”

 

“I want to run away with her.”

 

“What? No. I won’t let it come to that, I’ll tell Angelica.” She said, heading towards the door and opening it.

 

“Oh no you won’t,” Eliza said, shutting it. “I’ve confided in you, you can’t do this do me.”

 

“I’m afraid for you, Eliza. Clearly your head’s not on right.”

 

“I’m so happy, why can’t you understand?”

 

“Eliza-”

 

“No, get out. You want me to be miserable.”

 

“Eliza stop. What happened to you? I don’t trust her.”

 

“Peggy get out. I hate you!”

 

She backed away as if she had burned with tears filling her eyes. Eliza regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth.

 

“Peggy…” she trailed off not knowing what to say, but it didn’t matter since the youngest Schuyler was already halfway out the door. 

 

Eliza began crying as she grabbed the closest pen and wrote her response:

 

_ Your Highness, _

 

_ I’m so sorry, but I can’t. I’m leaving here soon anyway. _

 

_ -Your Obedient Servant. _

 

She ran back into her room and began packing her bags while Peggy was outside the apartment complex making a very important phone call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhhh I kinda made Hélène and Eliza more romantic than Eliza and Maria and I don’t know how it happened. 
> 
>  
> 
> PLEASE LEAVE KUDOS AND COMMENTS THANKS I LOVE YOU ALL <3


	21. in my house

“Thanks for coming to my housewarming party,” Hélène said with a smile lurking on her face.

 

“Yeah sure, there’s nowhere I’d rather be,” responded a lovesick Eliza. To anyone looking in from the outside could clearly see that there was one that cared more, but to Eliza? They were both madly in love.

 

“Oh I love this song,” Hélène grabbed Eliza arm and brought her to the dance floor in front of all the other guests. Normally, Eliza would shy away, but this was a new Eliza who would do anything Hélène asked of her. Her love for Hélène clouded her eyes so much, she didn’t notice a certain distraught lady running out of the room, or she didn’t care.

 

Eliza’s body was pressed so close to her’s that she could feel their heartbeats becoming one. A tiny thought in the back of her mind told her this was wrong, that she wasn’t the right person, but the rest of her was screaming “yes”.

 

She was twirled and felt them going through different worlds together, just them and no one else. They stared into each other’s eyes and they got close enough to kiss, the tension between them pulling them closer, when and angry someone burst in ruining the atmosphere they had so artfully created.

 

“Angelica?” Eliza screeched and looked back at Hélène who had disappeared.  _ Shit _ .

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

 

“Angelica, we shouldn’t do this here-” Eliza tried to calm her sister while looking out into the crowd of watchful eyes.

 

“You vile girl, have you no shame?”  _ That’s ironic considering she’s doing this in front of everyone, _ Eliza thought.

 

“Vile?” Eliza asked, shocked.

 

“Vile.” Angelica answered. “You could you do that to yourself? To our family? In my family, we have nice girls not the ones that go out with girls like Hélène. Not… not hussies.” She gestured up and down Eliza’s body and she stepped back as if she had been slapped, not that Angelica noticed.

 

“It’s lucky that bitch escaped, but I’ll find her… and boy when I do…” Eliza looked away, she couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“Listen to me when I speak to you!” She pulled Eliza so that they were face to face, “Are you listen to me? Do you understand!”

 

Eliza felt tears rolling down her face, shaking slightly. She didn’t recognize this Angelica, she was afraid of her. She supposed she had always been on the other side of her treatment and now she knew how it felt.

 

“Angelica… maybe we should calm down,” Peggy tried to intervene.

 

“Hush Peggy,” Angelica said, shutting her down.

 

Angelica tried to put her hand to Eliza’s face but she slapped it down.

 

“Don’t touch me!” She managed before succumbing to her tears once more.

 

“Alex would be disappointed in you and you know it! We’re supposed to be  _ nice _ girls.” Angelica reiterated. “What about Maria? Your  _ girlfriend _ ?”

 

“I don’t HAVE a girlfriend anymore. We broke out which you would know if you gave two fucks about my life.”

 

There was a thick silence.

 

“Eliza, come here. I’m… I’m sorry,” Peggy said, trying to relieve the tension.

 

“DON’T touch me!” Eliza backed up from her touch.

 

“Why didn’t she talk to your family huh?” Angelica continued, “ Why is she trying to keep this whole thing under wraps? Why is she planning to run away with you after three days and won’t even propose. Is she actually going to run away with you or is she trying to ruin you… We’re at her goddamn house party for God’s sake. I knew I should have kept a better eye on you,” she said pacing around the room. “Now she’s painting you like a slut.”

 

“Who are YOU to tell me anything Angelica Schuyler?”

 

She flinched at the use of her full name.

 

“S-she’s a rat. She’s taking advantage of you and--”

 

“You ran off with someone you barely knew and that father did not approve of. How can  _ you _ possible judge my life choices. And do NOT call me a slut.”

 

“Eliza I didn’t--”

 

She turned her attention to Peggy,

 

“Why did you interfere? You knew how happy I was, why couldn’t you have just stayed out of it!”

 

“Eliza-”

 

“Go away!”

 

“Elizabeth-”

 

“No! Leave me alone. You all hate me anyway!” She ran out of the silent yet filled room into the hallway, up the stairs, and opened a random room’s door and collapsed crying.

 

She was silently sobbing, in case anyone came upstairs, when she heard giggling in the room next to hers. Of course she would be intruding on the happy couple next to her.

 

“Stop it,” they said in between giggles. She recognized the voice.  _ No, it could be anyone. _ “Olivia, stop it.”

 

Just her luck.

 

Eliza had to get out of there. She wiped her eyes and splashed her face with water in the bathroom then grabbed her phone and made her way to the door. She opened it softly and began slowly walking when she heard a voice from inside the room. 

“I’m just gonna get some water, I’ll be right back.” And they began to open the door.

 

_ No no nononononono _

 

“Eliza?” The person whispered.

 

She slowly turned around. “Maria.”

 

//

 

“What are you doing up here?” She scanned up and down Eliza’s body to make sure she was okay.

 

“Just some peace and quiet.”

 

“Maria,” Susanna called and Eliza rolled her eyes. “Are you talking to anyone out there?”

 

Eliza turned to leave but Maria grabbed her hand. “Nope, I’ll be right back.” And she dragged her back into another room and locked the door behind her.

 

“Wow people must like kidnapping me.” Eliza deadpanned, but Maria’s color drained from her face.

 

“Sorry, too soon?” She tried to smooth it over.

 

“A little.” Maria said looking down at her feet with a slight laugh.

 

“So uh. How have you been?”

 

She looked up with a hurt look in her eyes and Eliza just wanted to hug her. “Really, Eliza? How have I been?”

 

“Woah, calm down.”

 

“Oh don’t tell me to calm down. You left and never bothered to tell me why.” Eliza sighed and figured she would need a little extra push for this conversation so she went to the refrigerator in the room and pulled out whiskey and a glass.

 

“Never took you for a whiskey girl.” Maria said with distaste and Eliza poured herself a glass.

 

“I’ve changed,” she said simply.

 

“Yeah, clearly,” then she looked at the whiskey. “You owe me some.”

 

Eliza got another glass, poured her some, and they sat down on the ground facing each other.

 

“How’s Olivia?” Eliza asked, obviously not wanting to hear.

 

“Can we not talk about that?”

 

“Okay how about we start with why I’m here.”

 

Maria grew flustered but then turned the conversation around.

“Yeah, why are you here.”

 

“Oh that is  _ not _ what I meant,” Eliza scoffed standing up. Maria matched her level.

 

“Well why can’t we talk about it?” She dared Eliza.

 

“You know what fine,” she threw her hands up, “I’m here because Hélène invited me.”

 

“Ahh, Hélène.”

 

“Yeah what about her?” She glared at her.

 

“Oh nothing. I heard she gets around.” Maria smirked.

 

“That seems to be my type,” Eliza mumbled.

 

“I’m sorry what?”

 

“I said that seems to be my type. You know the type that gets around. I mean what about you huh? Am I that type of girl now?”

 

“So we’re back to that are we?”

 

“Yeah, yeah we are because you cheated on me and told me she didn’t mean anything. Guess you’re a liar now too. James used it to his advantage back in the… back in the-”

 

“I’m sorry.” Maria said, silence following.

 

“Tell me about your lady, can’t call her new since she’s always been there. Do you love her?”

 

“I don’t-- I can’t…”

 

“Can’t what?” It was Eliza turn to dare her. “You can’t love? I know that already. You didn’t love me I mean-”

 

“Yes I did Eliza,” she grabbed her shoulders shutting her up. “Yes I did and you can’t say I didn’t.”

 

“Yes I can and I just did.”

 

“Oh my god,” Maria said letting go and walking away.

 

“Oh my god what? Huh?” She started walking towards her. “Why are you denying it?” She started gesturing wildly. “You don’t hurt the people you love. You don’t push the people you love away. You don’t cheat on the person you love.”

 

She was interrupted by Maria kissing her. She felt all the sparks come back and kissed her back. They stayed like that for 30 seconds that felt like forever before Maria broke it off.

 

“I guess I don’t love her then because I just cheated on her. And I know exactly what I’m doing, not like before.”

 

Eliza stood stock still not knowing her next step but had Susanna’s words flowing through her head.  _ I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, Illkillthem illkillthem. _ She rushed past Maria all the way outside to get some cool air and only faintly heard the sound of Maria calling after her. She collapsed on the ground and for cool second before she felt a hand grab her. 

 

“Let’s go,” was all the person said.

 

“What the hell, let me go,” She argued with the stranger with a hood on.

 

He ran with her following him for around ten minutes before finally stopping at a firepit with several other people also wearing hoods. Her mysterious abductor turned around and pulled off his hood.

 

“John?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember Olivia and Susanna are the same person but Maria doesn’t know that. Also Angelica’s a feminist so she would never seriously call someone a slut, but she’s kinda crazy because love makes people crazy and she loves her sister.
> 
> ALSOOOOOOOOOOOO tgc was cheated….
> 
>  
> 
> PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND KUDOS!!


	22. gotta get the job done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get...better??
> 
> SORRY FOR NOT POSTING I HAD CAMP BUT NOW I'M BACKKKKKKKK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go. ending pt 1.

“John?” Eliza repeated, “what the hell?” She looked around at the group, “and what the hell is with the hoods!”

 

The circle of shadowed figures put down their hoods to reveal Angelica, Peggy, Alex, Lafayette, and Maria.

 

“Maria? How did you get here?”

 

“I’m faster than you think.” She smirked to herself. “Also I took a shortcut.”

 

“Okay, but what’s with the hoods?” Eliza asked again.

 

“We couldn’t risk anyone seeing or recognizing us.” Angelica replied.

 

“We need to talk,” Peggy said.

 

“Well clearly,” Eliza said, “is this about Hélène again? Because you already chased her off but don’t think I won’t find her again and how da-”

 

“This isn’t about Hélène!” Angelica shouted just loud enough to intimidate Eliza but without alerting anyone around them. “This isn’t entirely about her,” she corrected.

 

“Can someone _please_ just tell me what’s happening?” Eliza pleaded with the group.

 

“It’s about James,” Alex supplied. Eliza and Maria went rigged.

 

“What about him?” Eliza almost growled.

 

“He’s back.”

 

“Makes sense.”

 

“He’s at the party.” Eliza sucked in a breath.

 

John placed a hand on her shoulder to bring her back into reality.

 

“And he was seen talking to Hélène.” Lafayette finished.

 

“Okay and she’s the host so what.” Eliza was racking through the possibilities in her brain.

 

“No, it looked like they were in an argument of some kind.” Maria said.

 

“Okay so _Maria_ is allowed to date Susanna who also conspired with James, but _I’m_ not allowed to date anyone who was seen talking to him?”

 

Eliza was met with silence.

 

“What?” She asked. Then her mistake hit her. “Oh.”

 

“Who in the shit is Susanna?” Alex said.

 

“No one, just forget about it, _please_.”

 

“The hell I will.” Alex said grabbing her shoulders so they could face each other. They locked eyes and she began to cry. “Eliza please, talk to me.”

 

“Susanna, also known as Olivia,” her eyes darted to Maria, “is the one dating Maria. So congratu-fucking-lations Maria, you’re dating one of my abusers.”

 

Maria’s body went stockstill.

 

“I’m sorry, that’s was harsh, I didn’t mean to-”

 

“Yes you fucking did Elizabeth.” Maria said, standing up so they were eye-level. “And you’re definitely not sorry. You think if I had known who she was I’d even consider dating her, let alone lay eyes on her. You think if you hadn’t broken my heart and left me to pick up the pieces I would even start dating her? Huh? Because it seems to me that you’re the only reason we are.”

 

“Oh, _I’m_ the reason?” Eliza chuckled while approaching Maria. “I don’t recall being the one that had an affair with her from the beginning. You would have wanted her anyway I just gave you a reason.”

 

“How many times do I have to say sorry!” Maria shouted while stepping forward. “I’ll say it again. I’ll say it a million more times but each time you care less and less. I was tired. I was manipulated--”

 

“Oh please you weren’t manipulated. You chose to cheat on me plain and simple. You weren’t drugged, you weren’t forced. You. Chose.”

 

“And then I chose you! And then I chose us! And you couldn’t seem to except that?”

 

“And how could I when you discarded me like I was nothing.” She said taking a few more steps towards her. “And how can I now when you’re dating the girl you _swore_ you had no feelings for. The girl who now, because of you, controls me and my family. The girl who forced me to break up with you. The girl that you chose anyway.”

“Well--” Maria started before she became acutely aware of the lack of distance between them and stared into Eliza’s hurt eyes before quickly jumping away, ignoring the hurt look on Eliza’s face.

 

She paused for a minute, recounting everything Eliza had just spewed. “What you mean she forced you to break up with me? And what was that about controlling your family.”

 

“Uh, um,” said a still flustered Eliza before regaining her composure. “She cornered me in the woods and forced me to break up with you because she loved you. And if I ever said anything she would…” she paused, looking at her sisters and Alex. “If I ever said anything she would kill my family and then maybe me.”

 

A round of gasps made their way through the circle who had been patiently waiting for Eliza and Maria’s argument to end.

 

“Oh and another thing,” she had decided to throw everything out into the open. “She’s also John Adams’ daughter.”

 

“John Adams?” Maria scrolled through her brain for where she had heard that name before until it clicked. “As in the one on James’ cabinet?”

 

“Yup, she was sent to break us up originally with the…” she trailed off. “And then she came back because she actually… loved you.”

 

“Well it’s over now so.” Maria said

 

“No!” Everyone stared at her. “No it can’t be over because she’ll suspect and then she’ll kill them and I can’t... I can’t live without them.”

 

“But I don’t love her.”

 

“Since when has love ever counted for anything?” Eliza looked to the ground.

 

“Elizabeth Schuyler,” Maria said grabbing her face in her hands, “I love you and that has to count for something. Do you love me?”

 

Eliza paused. Did she still love her? She thought about how Maria’s hair smelled after she got out of the shower. She thought of the soft sounds she made while she was sleeping. She thought about how her arms felt around her and how their hands were perfectly shaped for each other. The thought about her laughs whenever Eliza would say something stupid that she thought was funny. She thought how she would gently run her fingers through her hair until she fell asleep and her voice in the morning. And the late night talks. And her hair in the sunset, causing a halo. And watching movies while yelling at the characters. And food fights. And how much she didn’t know how she could live without her. But apparently her pause took too long because,

 

“It’s okay I’m sorry I asked, it was really stupid-”

 

“No,” Eliza stopped her and gazed into her eyes. “Stop it. I love you. I love you so much.”

 

Maria started to cry and Eliza pulled her into a hug letting a few tears of her own fall. When she pulled back, Maria laid a soft kiss on her lips, one of the many reasons Eliza loved her.

 

They were brought back to reality by Lafayette clearing his throat.

 

“If you all are done now, we should get to the plan.”

 

“Yeah, as sweet as that was.” Peggy agreed.

 

“I think I have a plan.” Maria said.

 

//

 

Maria and Eliza walked away from the bonfire hand-in-hand.

 

“I think your plan should work.” Eliza said.

 

“I hope so. I know the castle inside and out so that brings up our chances.”

 

Eliza paused.

 

“Babe, what’s up?”

 

Eliza hurriedly pressed her finger against her lips.

 

“Shhh. Someone could hear you.”

 

“Okay… but that doesn’t answer my question.”

 

“Sorry. It’s just what happens now? I mean with us? We can’t exactly be an open couple.”

 

“We’ll...we’ll figure it out.” Maria gave a soft smile.

 

Then they heard another voice approaching. Eliza dragged Maria to the other side of the bush and they both crouched down.

 

“Yeah, yeah I know. I need a little bit more time,” the voice said into a phone they were holding.

 

“It’s Hélène.” Eliza whispered as she paused right in front of the bush.

 

“Shh.”

 

“We will go back to the mountains I swear.” _Mountains?_ Eliza wondered. _She couldn’t mean…_ “ _I don’t know,_ maybe we’ll go there on a romantic retreat or something. Sorry I didn’t mean to be rude Your Highness. Yes, I’ll hurry. I hope you’ll have new people posted seeing as they killed the last ones. Okay I’m on it. Goodbye.”

 

When they heard receding footsteps they stood up again.

 

“Did that mean?”

 

“That she’s trying to kidnap me and bring me back, yup.” Eliza began breathing heavily.

 

“Eliza? Eliza are you okay? Oh my god. Oh my god.”

 

Eliza had started hyperventilating and passed out in Maria’s arms.

 

When she woke up again, she was being cradled in her arms with a glass of water beside her and Maria rocking her.

 

“Hey, you’re alive,” Maria tried for a joke but it fell flat.

 

“What am I going to do now? She knows where I live, I can’t just go home.”

 

“She knows where you live? How? You know what, don’t answer that.”

 

“That might be best.”

 

“Well, there’s a cottage in a secret place, I could stay with you until the plan is ready.”

 

“Alright.” Eliza agreed. They discreetly walked out of the party towards the cottage when Eliza spoke again. “We should tell Angelica about what we heard.”

 

“On it.”

 

//

 

Angelica was sitting in her hotel’s couch watching preparing for the next day with Peggy sleeping in the next room when she got a text on her phone’s lockscreen.

**mar.rey: hélène is also working james. she was planning to bring eliza back to the cabin. we’re staying in a secret area until the time being. stay on high alert.**

 

Angelica sighed, she was going to have to get this done tonight and she couldn’t risk her family or friends’ lives. She picked up her phone and formed a text.

 

**ang.sch: i need a favor. meet me at ray st in 20 mins. and bring some gear.**

 

**dol.mad: anything for you dearest.**

 

**sal.hem: we’ll be there in 20.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone stop that lady. we get one more happy chapter after this!! and then shit goes d  
> o  
> w  
> n  
> :)


	23. something stupid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> laurens' interlude (but not bad)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR SHORTER CHAPTER AFTER CLIFFHANGER

“Alex?” John asked. He was wringing his hands like a they were towels he was trying to get the sweat he was creating out of them. Of course Alex, oblivious as he is, was sitting on his bed texting someone. Who? He didn’t know.

 

“Yeah, what’s up?”

 

“Since we’re going into the castle tomorrow for battle or whatever I just wanted to say…” He trailed off.

 

“Yeah, say what?” Alex said, now looking up from his phone.

 

“Say that… we should totally get shit-faced!!” He gave a half-hearted laugh, he really just needed to say it but couldn’t bring himself to. “I mean, seeing as we might not even make it out alive.” He tried to explain.

 

“Don’t say that. And I don’t really think that’s a good idea, I mean we want to have our mind in place.”

 

“Yeah I know, that’s not what I wanted to say.”

 

“Well out with it then.” Alex smiled.

 

“I, um, I love you.” John said, pausing between each word.

 

Silence.

 

Silence.

 

More silence.

 

And then he spoke, and the next two words were not what John was expecting at all. No, in his mind they were, “Me too,” not,

 

“Oh well..” Alex said looking down at his hands, and then pulling out his phone again.

 

“Alex what the hell? I mean I get Lafayette being here might have shifted something between us but--”

 

“Laf? John what are you talking about? You sound crazy.”

 

Then Laurens went on the defensive. “Then who were you just texting.” Alex put away his phone and shifted his eyes which only confirmed what John was thinking. “Thought so.”

 

“Okay I’m texting him because he’s my friend.”

 

“Yeah? And I’m your  _ boyfriend _ but it doesn’t feel like that when you can barely hold a conversation with me for more than five minutes before pulling out your phone and texting him for what feels like an hour. And then I tell you that I  _ love  _ you and you can’t even reciprocate I mean come on.” John felt like he had spoiled the moment. I mean yes, they weren’t talking when he walked in the room, but it was comfortable silence, like it was enough just to be in each other’s presence. Now it felt strained.

 

“You know the opinion I entertain of mankind and how much it is my desire to preserve myself free of particular attachments John Laurens.” He tried to rebuttal.

 

“Oh yeah, that must be working swell considering we’ve been seriously dating for around a year. I mean, we’ve said it before but it was more playfully, I want you to know I mean it.”

 

“I’m sure you do.”

 

John just stared at him, mouth agape before grabbing his jacket and walking out the door. It wasn’t until Alex heard the door shut that he truly realized what went down. He needed to call Laf though the irony didn’t miss him. He picked up his phone and tapped the first number on speed dial.

 

“Laf, come over here,  _ now _ .”

 

//

 

“So you’re saying that this is the first time he’s truly said “I love you” and your first reaction was ‘Oh’?” Laf said staring in disbelief,

 

“Well when you put it like I sound like an asshole.”

 

“That’s exactly what happened, and you are an asshole.”

 

“Gee, thanks for your support.”

 

“The only person who needs support right now is Laurens, do you even know where he is right now? I mean Maria and Eliza are together, God knows where, who else would he go to? And I’m sure it’ll just  _ thrill _ him when he finds out I’m here when I’m his boyfriend’s boytoy.”

 

“Former boytoy.”

 

“Can you just pick up the damn phone and call Angelica, with everything that’s happened he could easily get abducted.”

 

All the color drained from Alex’s face as he snatched his phone from the couch to call Angelica. The phone rang several time before the automated voice told him to leave a message. So he called again. And again. And again until he got so sick of the woman’s voice he almost threw his phone across the room.

 

“Call Peggy,” Laf said.

 

So he did and after the first couple rings the youngest Schuyler picked up.

 

“He doesn’t want to see you,” were the first words that came out of her mouth.

 

“Oh thank god. He’s with you right?”

 

“Yup, and he’s sitting here crying his eyes out.” He heard a shout from the other line and then scuffling. “Nevermind, he doesn’t want you to know that.”

 

“Where are you guys?”

 

“Nowhere.”

 

“Peggy come on. Fine if you don’t want to tell me, tell him I’ll be waiting at our place in an hour on the rooftop.” And with that, he hung up.

 

//

 

“Hey again,” a voice behind Alex called. He was standing on the edge of the rooftop looking out over the city lights lighting up the now dark sky.

 

“Hey there stranger.”

 

“Well I’m here, but I’m not going to sit around and make small talk so if this is it I think I’m just going to go--”

 

“I love you too.” Alex interrupted. “ And I wish, my dear Laurens, it might be in my power by actions rather than words to convince you that I love you. I would walk out into a hurricane just to prove it to you. I would face a tornado if that’s what you asked. I would walk through hell and back to show you. But all I can do for now if tell you and I hope that’s enough.”

 

He took a breath and before he could say anything more John had kissed him. And it was a different kiss than the previous ones. Whereas they were either full of lust or those domestic ones where you’re rushing and don’t have time for a proper kiss, this one, he could tell, was full of love. Full of love, acceptance, trust, sparks, and feelings. More than you could ever wish from just one kiss. It was everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope yall enjoyed the letter references, i really do try with that stuff. and now we enter the abyss...let's get down to business shall we??
> 
> REMEMBER TO LEAVE KUDOS AND COMMENTS THEY HELP ME UPDATE FASTER!!


	24. out of the frying pan, into the inferno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ending pt 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I JUST GOT INTO BE MORE CHILL AND HOLY MESS 10/10!!! There’s a lot of perspective switching here.  
> Also we have two more chapters after this

“Okay stay behind me,” Angelica whispered to Dolly and Sally who were crouching behind her outside the palace near a bush with the velvet night as their cover. Angelica had her hair in a relatively loose bun, too tight and she felt as if she couldn’t think. Dolly had her hair in a braid running down her back and Sally in a high ponytail that draped over her shoulder.

 

She climbed up a tree and onto the balcony of one of the rooms in the back of the palace with Dol and Sal close behind her. She slipped her fingers behind window pane left ajar and slowly pulled it open. She peeked into the room and when it only revealed a sleeping noble boy, she entered.

She slowly crept across the room and when she but mere feet from the door she felt a tug in her arm and turned around.

 

“Sal? What is it we’re so close?” She whispered, confused. Sally jabbed her thumb towards the back of the room where the noble boy now sat up in his bed, fully awake, with tears bordering his eyes. “Oh no.”

 

“Yup,” Sally agreed, “We’ve got a light sleeper.”

 

“Hey little boy,” Angelica approached as if she were talking to a baby. “We’re playing a game of hide and seek and I need you to not tell anyone we were here or else we’ll get caught and lose okay? Sorry for waking you.” Well, it wasn’t completely a lie.

 

“My mommy said no one is allowed in my room while I’m sleeping and if they are I should call uncle James.” He said, reaching toward the intercom system in his room. Angelica’s body went cold.

 

“Okay, but before you do, can you smell something for me?” Dolly stepped in.

 

“Sure thing ma’am.” The little boy hopped up to the edge of his bed and Dolly opened the miniature gar to his nose. He began to sway back and forth and she put the jar back into her pocket. She stood up as he fell back into the bed, the two moves paralleling one another.

 

“What the hell Dol?” Sally softly screamed gesturing towards the boy who was now knocked out cold.

 

“Don’t worry, it’s just a mixture of hops and kratom I got from my garden.” She assured. They stared at her bewildered, not understanding how what she said made anything better in the slightest. She sighed. “They’re sedatives, he’ll be fine.”

 

“Where did you learn that?” Angelica asked beelining her way to the door.

 

“I have a lot of extra time,” she said nonchalantly.

 

“Ahh yes, the study of sedatives and poisons, an ordinary hobby.” Sally chuckled.

 

“Who said anything about poisons?” She paused for a moment. “Although I do dabble.”

 

“Oh my god please teach me your ways.” Sally said as they continued to make their way down the palace halls.

 

//

  


They made a circle back to the same hallway for the third time before Dolly got tired of it.

“How well do you even know the palace Ang?”  Dolly questioned with a smirk on her face as Angelica blushed, “because we’re pretty lost.”

 

“W-well I m-mean,” she stammered.

 

“Okay, so since all of us don’t want to die, I think I’ll lead.” Dolly said

 

“And what makes you think you’ll be any better than me?” Angelica retorted.

 

“Maybe the fact that I lived here.”

 

“Angelica stopped in the middle of the hallway. “What? When?”

 

“When I was married to James. Madison that is. He was a cabinet member, I’m not sure if he still is but we lived here back then so if there hasn’t been any major reconstruction, we should be fine.” She said taking the lead and they began walking again.

 

“Oh yeah, what happened between you and James, I never got the chance to ask before you moved uptown.” Sally asked

 

“Different views I guess,” she shrugged, “I must have been too much of a quaker for him I guess. Or vise-versa. He called me a “social justice warrior” like that’s a bad thing. It was fine for a while but I guess we couldn’t take it. I don’t know it feels like a lifetime ago,”

 

“Makes sense, we haven’t aged a day.” Angelica added. “So you know what we’re looking for right?”

 

“James or his room right?”

 

“Yup, takes up there maestro”

 

“As you wish, princess.”

 

//

 

“What in the hell do you mean she’s not there Peggy?” Eliza damn near screamed into her phone.

 

“Exactly that Eliza.” Peggy sassed her through the phone and Eliza hung up.

 

“Okay, Eliza calm down, I’m sure she’s fine. Angelica knows how to take care of herself.” Maria tried to reassure her but to no avail.

 

“Like hell she’s fine. People around me are constantly in danger so either she got captured and is still hopefully in the frying pan or she-” Eliza paled.

 

“Or she what?” Maria pressed. Eliza grabbed her hand and sped walked to the door, grabbed her keys and led Maria to the car. “Eliza. Or she what?”

 

Eliza turned the keys and turned on the ignition. “Or she walked straight into the inferno,” and she floored it.

 

//

 

Eliza left the car a block away and she ran to the palace while putting her hair into a ponytail with Maria following.

 

“How sure are you she’s supposed to be in here Eliza?”

 

“Ninety?” Eliza tried. “Look, I know Angelica like I know my own mind, you will never find anyone more selfless or more analytical and that honestly be the most dangerous combination. She knows that all of us storming the castle would not end well. She probably doesn’t want her family to get more hurt. And she thought that she looked at it from all sides and thought that this one the only way but she forgot about our side. And most importantly, she forgot that I’m not about to let my sister go on a suicide mission. At least not by herself.”

 

“And there is no way I’m letting my girlfriend die without me so let’s go, I know a secret way in.”

 

Maria led her to a door in the side of the palace that led directly to the kitchen.

 

“It’s how they get the food in and out without being seen by anyone in the palace,” she explained. They quietly crept through the castle for a half an hour before Eliza started to get really antsy.

 

“Okay, this isn’t working.” She stated. “We need to split up.”

 

“Isn’t that what they say in the horror movies and it never ends up being a good idea.”

 

“Good thing we aren’t in a movie then. I’ll take the west wing you take the east.”

 

“Okay fine,” Maria let up, “but what happens if you get in trouble? I have no way of protecting you.”

 

Eliza lifted her skirt to reveal a dagger wrapped around her thigh. “It’s a little uncomfortable but necessary. I can’t leave the house without it.”

 

Maria walked back to Eliza and intertwined her hands in her own. “Elizabeth Schuyler, I hope there comes a day where you can walk the streets again without looking everywhere you can think of first. Where when you hear someone’s voice you weren’t expecting you don’t immediately reach for your weapon.”

 

Eliza blushed.

 

“Yeah, I noticed. Don’t feel embarrassed. I hope that you can feel truly safe and at ease again, not just in a state where you think you are. I want you to know it in your heart. And I want you to know that I love you and I would do anything to keep you safe. I know I couldn’t before and I’ll never sleep right at night again. I-I couldn’t be there for you and I can’t forgive myself and I’m not asking you to.”

 

“There was nothing you could have done-”

 

“I’m sure there was. I hope there comes a day where you don’t have to worry about him anymore. And when that day comes, you’ll feel free again. And you’ll be able to feel infinity, and we can dance on his soon-to-be-coming grave. And I promise, one day you will.”

 

Eliza gave a soft smile. “I’ll hold you to that. But how will you stay safe? Unless you have a hidden weapon?”

 

“The weapons room is in the east wing, if I find it, I’ll be fine. If you don’t find anything meet back here,” she pointed at the spot she stood, “in thirty minutes.” Maria said before walking away. Eliza watched her until she disappeared around the corner and then began walking herself.

 

//

 

Maria walked the dark hallway, her thoughts plagued with thoughts about Eliza and her safety. She was so lost in her own thoughts she almost missed the sound of a gun cocking in the back of her. She slowly turned around to meet the one who held the gun but only saw silhouettes hidden by the dark with only some dim candles lighting up the figure.

 

“Maria?” The voice called out.

 

“Who are you?” She anxiously called back.

 

The figure stepped out with two more people following her.

 

“Angelica!” She jumped into her arms, “What the hell? Eliza was worried sick.”

 

“Where is she?” Angelica asked,  “I mean you’re here and you wouldn’t leave her.”

 

“She’s in the west wing.” Maria answered.

 

“That’s where James is,” Dolly said. “Hi, I’m Dolly, Angelica’s friend,”

 

“If that’s where James is why aren’t we there?” Angelica turned back to Dolly.

 

“Because there was resistance on our path,” Sally said gesturing to the bloodied bodies that lay in the hallway. Maria’s eyes widened as she just noticed them.

 

“W-what?” Maria stuttered.

 

“Like I said resistance.” Sally said.

 

“How did you learn to do that?” Maria asked.

 

“Well, back in the day we were all in an assassin's gu-”

 

“Dolly! Shall we not?” Angelica interrupted.  “Let’s focus on getting Eliza and head over to the west wing.”

 

//

 

Eliza walked down the cold hallway and everything felt unfamiliar. She wasn’t sure if it was the darkness or the fact that she hadn’t been there in a while but something made her think that this wasn’t right. She kept walking until she saw something familiar.

 

“My old room,” she said under her breath. She ran her fingers down the archway of the door before opening the door and walking in.

 

Everything about the room felt off. It was colder than the hallway when it was usually so warm. She felt something in her gut that was practically begging her to turn around and leave. She looked around her room and walked over to her mantle and picked up a picture frame with a photo of her and Maria. Maria must have come in to replace it, why, she didn’t know. She touched it and tried to absorb all the feelings that were captured in the picture.

 

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Eliza quickly snapped her head to the front of the room. Any source of light that was coming from the hallway was not obscured by the door shutting. “You left this room in quite a mess Eliza, could’ve at least been a good guest and cleaned up before you left.”

 

“Well I didn’t know I’d be leaving but you did,” She retorted, she knew exactly who the voice was coming from and immediately called Maria while hiding the phone from view. She waited for what she thought was three rings before addressing the person in the room.

 

“How are you James?”

 

//

 

“Guys, Eliza’s calling,” Maria whispered. She picked up and was met with silence. “Hello?” More silence. And then, she spoke.

 

_How are you James?_

 

“Shit, she’s with James.” Maria addressed the group.

 

_Hello Eliza, better now that you’re here. It’s been too long since I’ve last seen you._

 

_Not long enough._

 

_You took longer to get here than I expected._

 

_So you were just waiting for me in my room until I came here?_

 

_I knew you would, who can resist the sentiments of an old home._

 

“She’s in her room, come on let’s go.” Angelica said as they began to move more quickly towards the west wing while still listening to the exchange.

 

_What do you want James?_

 

_Everything. And I almost had it until you came. So now I guess it’s just to get rid of you. I’ve tried quite a few times but like they say, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. But I’ve sent many people after you. So that even when you think you’re safe from me, even when you think you’re out of my grasp, you never are. I wanted you to know that I’m always there. I wanted you to not be able to trust anyone, to be paranoid, always have your guard up. And then, when you were just relaxed enough, I would send another and have you on edge again. It’s a fun game for me to play until you leave, or until I get bored and kill you._

 

_S-so I-Im just the m-mouse in this game._

 

_Precisely, I’m glad we understand one another._

 

“We have to get her out of there _now_. She’s terrified.” Maria pleaded.

 

“Makes sense, who wouldn’t be when stuck in a room with a rapist killer.” Angelica said.

 

A forced, shaky laugh came in through the phone.

 

_Oh, are you scared Eliza? I would be too. See the thing is, I’m bored now._

 

They came to her the door of Eliza’s room.

 

“What are we going to do? The door’s not open so there’s no way we can sneak in without him finding out.”

 

“I’ve got an idea,” Maria said with stone cold eyes. “Anyone got a gun? I couldn’t make it to the weapons room.”

_And like I said, when I’m bored, I’m going to kill you. So say a prayer or your last words, I don’t really care._

 

Two guns cocked.

 

One door got knocked open.

 

Two shots.

 

One fallen body.

 

Two piercing screams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger™


	25. gotta start a new nation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ending pt 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> small chicago cameo and YAY! One more chapter after this.
> 
> "Eliza felt her world shift. Everything but them became engulfed in darkness and they were the only source of light."

The room still vibrated from Eliza and James’ screams until there was painful silence.

 

“Holy shit” Maria muttered, breaking it.

 

“Sweetheart…” James said softly, hands stained red from his own blood.

 

“Oh don’t ‘sweetheart’ me you son of a bitch.” Two more shots.

 

A small grunt came out of James before his face fell and he died.

 

“Maria,” Eliza wiped her face because some of his blood had sprayed onto her, “What you just did is treason.”

 

“It’s not treason if no one saw, plus no one liked him so who would try and prove it. Not to mention, I am now the reigning monarch.” She said with a small smile on her face. “Holy shit. I’m the reigning monarch.”

 

“Yeah you are babe.” Eliza smiled back. “And it’s finally over.”

 

“Not quite,” Maria said.

 

“What do you mean?” Eliza asked.

 

“Let’s have a dinner, I’ll invite everyone you just get ready okay?” Maria said, ignoring her question.

 

“Um okay, why-” Eliza said but stopped when she noticed Maria had left.

 

She walked down the stairs to the kitchen to get some food and when she returned to her room, she saw a dress in a box waiting for her just like before all this mess happened and she smiled. She pulled it out and revealed a strapless lavender gown with a broach. It was beautiful and she thought maybe things could change for the better.

 

//

 

“Hello everyone, I’m so glad you guys could make it. This is kind of a celebratory dinner thing because I wanted to thank you and make an announcement but I’ll wait until everyone is here first,” Maria said to John, Eliza, Alex, Lafayette, Sally, Dolly, Angelica, and Peggy who all sat around the table with food in front of them.

 

“Everyone? Darling, everyone’s here.” Eliza said looking up to Maria who was standing.

 

“Yeah I know it’s just…” She trailed ahead and stared at the door.

 

“What on earth is she doing here Maria?” Alex said what was on everyone’s minds. 

 

Susanna walked in looking extremely nervous in a pale green cocktail dress with her hair half up half down.

 

“I wanted her to be here for the announcement,” Maria stated, still holding eye contact with Susanna who was staring right back while standing in the middle of the room after realizing there wasn’t any place for her at the table. The gaze was so intense it was like they were having their own private conversation in a crowded room that only they could understand. Eliza grabbed Maria’s hand to draw her out of it. “Right.”

 

Maria led Eliza out onto the floor. She turned and faced and held both of her hands in hers.

 

“Eliza, from the moment I saw you I was awe-struck. I wondered how someone so beautiful and caring and smart and passionate could even exist. We’ve had our ups and downs and the highs were worth every second of the lows. And I wouldn’t want to go through it with anyone else. When James had taken you my world fell apart and I couldn’t do anything to retrieve the pieces.

 

“I knew immediately that I would risk anything and everything for you. I would walk through fire to prove to you that I’ll be there. I know I already made you a promise to protect you but let me do it again. I swear to you that I will never let anything happen to you without me doing everything in my power to prevent in first. I want to protect you, love you, care for you, and be with you for the rest of our days. Eliza, will you be my queen forever and always?”

 

Eliza felt her world shift. Everything but them became engulfed in darkness and they were the only source of light. 

 

“Maria, you are the light of my life, you are my entire world. I would want nothing more.”

 

She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed so tight she could feel their bodies merging and become one. Of course it was ruined by chuckling.

 

“Eliza, Eliza, Eliza, honey… have you already forgotten about my little promise?” Susanna laughed with a sick smile across her face.

 

“Oh fuck off. Your little ‘promise’ to kill everyone I love has now been rendered invalid. You see you little motherfu-,” Eliza said.

 

“Wow, profanity,” Angelica called out.

 

“James isn’t here anymore which means you have no one backing you because whatever power you once had is now gone. I have it and more. I have the entire armed forces at my disposal so I’d like to see you try and get within five feet of my family before being shot down. And god knows what would happen if you ever brought a weapon near them. Hell, I would take you down myself. So try me bitch.” Eliza finished.

 

“I’m not even sure how you would get close to them considering you are now exiled effective immediately. And if you try and come back I will have you killed. The only reason you aren’t dead now is because you were a pawn in a war you were forced into. Unfortunately for the wrong side but you couldn’t have known. Now you do know better than to defy me,” Maria said.

 

“Forced? I wasn’t-”

 

“If I were you I’d stop talking,” Alex intergected.

 

“And if I were you, I’d leave now before the guards throw you out.” Eliza said.

 

Susanna scoffed, turned and walked off but not before flipping everyone off. 

 

“Well now that that’s out of the way,” Lafayette said, “Congratulations you two!”

 

“When’s the wedding?” Angelica asked.

 

“Angie, we just got engaged, like you saw it happen, we haven’t discussed anything.” Eliza laughed.

 

“Fair, but I’m going to be the maid of honor right?” Angelica said.

 

“How could I resist with those puppy eyes.”

 

Alex coughed. “And you will be the man of honor of course. Or my best man. Which ever title suits you.” Eliza reassured him as he smiled and went back to his conversation with John. They looked so deep in love Eliza wondered when they were getting married.

 

Eliza looked back at Maria laughing and talking with her sisters and knew everything was going to be okay after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're coming to the end!!! well, more like an epilogue.


End file.
